Jason and Chloe's story
by Daciavu73
Summary: Warning, this first chapter might be a bit disturbing. But it's to lay the groundwork of Jason Teague's psyche. I tried not to go into too much detail. HEAVILY IMPLIED INCEST/RAPE IN FIRST CHAPTER... I don't own any part of Smallville, just this story idea
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Jason was lying in bed, staring at the wall, his back to the woman in the bed.

Anger and hatred flashing in his green eyes.

The woman in bed with him definitely had him by the balls. Most of the time, that statement is figurative. Once in a while, it's literal, like tonight.

She knows him so well that she periodically rewards him with exactly what he likes. However if he satisfies HER, he receives more money in his bank account, his college tuition gets paid, the lifestyle he has always been accustomed to stays intact.

He felt like a paid whore frankly, but he didn't have too many alternatives.

He tried to break away from this woman and her hold on him. His relationship with Lana would have helped with that. He remembered how he did all he could to protect Lana from "The Bitch".

But she hooked him right back with promises of money and success, along with other perks, if he played his cards right.

Yep! She knew him better than any other woman on the planet.

He felt the bed shift as the woman stood. Jason wouldn't even look at her. Nausea was developing within his gut. This was a ritual or pattern he fell into from the time he was 14. When his dad found out about his son and what was going on, he left him, took off to parts unknown and left Jason to deal with "The Bitch" all by himself.

As the woman pulled on a lavender silk robe, she turned to Jason, all business now. Her long flowing auburn hair falling to her mid back.

"Well, that was... adequate." Genevieve Teague said on a sigh, then she turned to her son in slight approach. "You've been better than this."

Jason ignored her, got up from the bed and grabbed his jeans, putting them on quickly with no underwear. After he zipped up, he turned to the woman that he thought of as a she-demon, glaring at her. How could his own mother cross THAT line and touch him like a woman would her husband?

"Maybe I don't have the right motivation... MOTHER." Jason snarked sarcastically, spitting the last word out like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Or maybe you're losing your touch Jason." Genevieve responded in a matter-of-fact way. "And I think I know just the thing that will get you back to par."

His mother's English accent seriously grated on his nerves!

"And what would that be?" he asked, incredulous.

Smiling secretly, she said, "I have a little surprise for you. Bridget Crosby is being held captive for us at Suicide Slums." She sat at the end of the bed and looked Jason over appreciatively, making Jason's skin crawl in repulsion, "You and I are not that different Jason. We both like a good torture once in a while. The power you feel when you hold another's life in your hands." She stood and walked closer to Jason, into his personal space. Jason resisted the impulse to run, standing his ground and staring her down as she trailed her fingernails lightly over his naked torso. Peering up at him, she smiled knowingly, "You're just as addicted as I am to power and you know it. You can't hide that from your own mother, Jason." Her hand trailed down toward his waist and Jason caught her wandering hand in a firm grip, flinging it away in disgust.

"You got what you wanted." Jason hissed, "Now it's time to pay up."

Genevieve smirked as she reached for her pocketbook, pulling out her checkbook and a pen. "How much this time Jason?"

"Ten thousand." he said without hesitation.

"My, my!" Genevieve's eyebrows shot up. "Do you REALLY think you've earned THAT much?"

"Hell yes!" Jason roared. "If you want the best MOTHER, you pay for it." God how he HATED this woman! The whole experience caused nausea to threaten it's way up to his throat. He just wanted his fucking money and to get the hell outta here.

"Tell you what..." she said calmly as she began writing a check. She tore it out, folded it and passed it to Jason. When he opened it, it was for 5000 dollars.

"That's only half." Jason eyed her suspiciously.

"Take care of Ms Crosby and you'll get the rest."

Jason put the check into his wallet, then placed the wallet in his back pocket. He towered over his mother angrily.

"Next time, you pay 20,000 a pop MOTHER, or else you find another dick."

He stormed away, heading to his own suite of bedrooms in the penthouse as Genevieve smiled inwardly, arms folded, staring at the door Jason just walked through.

"You'll be back my darling." she whispered quietly to Jason's parting back, "Because I will always be the only one giving you what you really need."

Jason heard her when he was in the hallway and stopped dead in his tracks for a moment. In anger, he hit the wall, causing a large hole, letting forth a string of profanities.

Because he knew his mother was right.

God, how he HATED her and what she turned him into!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next evening found Jason dressed in black head to toe with a black ski mask to hide his identity. He was carefully making his way from the Luthor property to where he parked his car about 3 blocks away….. having just buried Bridgette Crosby in Lex's back yard and setting Lex Luthor up for murder.

After he and his mother tortured Ms Crosby for several hours, she finally gave up the element she was planning to sell to Lex. Knowing how his mother would drag out the torture just for the hell of it, Jason showed rare mercy and gave the woman a quick death with a bullet in the temple. His mother was so angry, his penance was that he (instead of hired muscle) had to dispose of the body. So he buried her on the Luthor property, a plan formulating in his mind. His mother wasn't for sure his plan would work and she stated it would be on Jason's head if it didn't.

His mother was inside with Lex now, keeping him occupied. Rolling his eyes, he knows his mother well enough that she goes for the younger men. And Lex would fall into that category.

He was pretty sure that Lex wouldn't be interested in Genevieve Teague. But his mother is pretty persuasive and one never knows!

Throwing his tools into the trunk, he slammed it closed then jumped into his little sports car, cranked it up and took off.

He had just enough time to get to his dorm, shower, and go pay a visit to Lana. Looking forward to getting away from the crap his mother puts him through, he actually had a smile on his face. Lana was easy to talk to and a good listener and he was anticipating the few hours of reprieve ahead.

Since Jason still had a key to Lana's apartment, he let himself in after realizing she wasn't home.

This was a normal ritual for the two of them. He'd make himself at home, work on his college term papers, or read a book, or watch TV until she gets home. Sometimes he has dinner prepared for her. Sometimes not.

He was about to take off his jacket and noticed a large envelope on the bar. Curious, he walked over to get a hint as to what it was.

Grinning like the little boy who got the Christmas present he wanted, he realized it's Lana's acceptance packet to Central Kansas.

This was it! Now she can join him at Central Kansas A&M, they'll get a dorm together, he can tell his mother to kiss his ass because he now has someone that doesn't keep reminding him how evil he can be.

At that moment, he hears the door open and he picked up the envelope quickly, hiding it behind his back. He was still trying to tone down the happy smile that kept wanting to spread across his face. Lana saw him as she set her purse and keys by the door, then she walked toward the bar, slightly suspicious.

"What's with the cheshire cat routine?" Lana asked curiously.

Jason shrugs as he announces, "Just a little something from Central Kansas."

Jason then passes the envelope to Lana proudly while her own mind is screaming, "_Dammit, that's it, he's went through my MAIL now! This is above and beyond 'overprotective boyfriend'_!"

Lana never said the words aloud, but the look in her big green eyes didn't bode too well for Jason.

Jason wasn't noticing her inner mental struggle yet, "Congratulations! If they were going to reject you, they probably wouldn't send you a novella."

Lana carefully takes the large envelope from him and places it on the bar. She begins walking away from him, debating on how to approach the subject that she actually wants to break up instead. Something that's been on her mind for the past few weeks.

"No... probably not" Lana murmured in answer to Jason's statement.

Jason now noticed her body language, but was trying to ignore it. A guy can never figure out women anyway. And with all he and Lana have gone through, surely to God she's not thinking now of breaking it off!

Jason decided to try and play it off like he's not noticing anything unusual. Inserting a jovial note into his voice, he said, "Hey, I was thinking, we could go check out the dorms on campus this weekend."

Lana decided it was now or never. She didn't want to hurt Jason's feelings, but to be blunt, he was creeping her out lately. Being around Clark this past week or so gave her a new perspective. Clark had temporary amnesia, and yet he still professed feelings for her, with absolutely no memory of their time together. His feelings were that strong and he finally let her see that.

What's more, Clark never interfered into anything that he felt was none of his business. Jason, on the other hand, makes it his business to know where she is and what she's doing, AND she knows the only reason he's around her was to get to the stone they got from China.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she said, "Jason, I'm not sure that I'm gonna go to Central Kansas..." She turned and placed a hand on his chest as she explained gently, "I'm not even sure if I'm gonna go to college at all."

She could see the confusion and disappointment that was clouding his eyes as she hastily continued as gently as possible, "I've actually given this a lot of thought."

Lana knew this wasn't going to be pretty and Jason won't let go too easily. He took her hand and began caressing the back of it with his thumb. He gave a shaky laugh. "Which part, Lana? The part that we've been planning this for an entire year? I thought this was our one chance to put everything that's happened over the past months behind us."

He kisses her hand and she almost melted. Just... almost, but not quite. He reached out to caress her face as he whispered, "It would be like Paris all over again."

"How?" Lana asked in slight exasperation, stepping back from his touch. Jason watched her shake her head and gather her thoughts, again she was trying to spare his feelings. "Jason, last summer was incredible, but we have to face it. We haven't been able to recreate that here, not with everything that's happened. Not with the stones, or your mom. And all of the lies."

Lana noticed that Jason's eyes became hard green flint in a matter of a blink as he asked in a pseudo-calm voice, "How long have you known?

Lana stares at him in confusion, so Jason continues explaining, watching her carefully. "I mean, feelings don't just change overnight. So you've obviously been thinking about this for a while."

Jason was beginning to make Lana nervous, but she was going to stand her ground anyway and not let him bully her like he's done in the past. She squared her shoulders, kept eye contact and nodded her head, "Yeah."

Jason mimicked her nodding and repeated back in the same way, "Yeah."

"Ever since this turned into the same relationship I was trying to leave behind when I went to Paris."

Jason's eyebrows shot up, jealousy sparking in his eyes, "Oh, so this is about Clark!"

Lana rolled her eyes, frustrated and practically whining now, "No, this is NOT about Clark! Jason, it's about US. There are too many secrets. I kept wishing that we could wipe the slate clean, but we can't. A chance like that... Maybe it only comes once in a lifetime."

Sadly, Lana turns away from Jason and walks into her living area, needing a moment to collect herself. Jason suddenly becomes very angry, glares at Lana's retreating back, then makes a snap decision. He stomps toward her, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her to turn and face him, startling her in his vehemence. His grip both hurts and scares her. _Good!,_ Jason thinks. He rather liked that thought!

Jason's voice was practically hissing at her as he gave her a shake, "YOU were the one part of my life that made me forget what I've turned into!"

Lana's eyes were wide with shock, she'd never seen Jason get quite this angry before, "What are you talking about?" she asked shakily.

He shook her hard, her teeth nearly rattling, "Just DON'T give up on me!"

"Ow! Jason!"

He shakes her again harder, yelling now. "OKAY?" Before Lana knew it, he shook her one more time, causing her a slight headache, "You have NO idea how much I've been protecting you! DO YOU?"

Finally, Jason pushes her away from him and stalks out of the apartment angrily, leaving Lana shocked and confused by Jason's outburst.

She knew he'd take the news of a break-up badly, but she never dreamed he'd grab her and shake her like that.

And why is everyone always trying to "protect" her? That's a question that nearly drives her insane. She hears it from every man she knows! There's Lex, there's Clark and now she's hearing it again from Jason.

One day she'll show everybody in this town that she's not some china doll that everyone has to protect and cherish!


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note - the chapter after this one should bring Chloe into the story more. Again, this is just to set up Jason's psyche, which will become important later. So be patient with me. And if you haven't noticed, I'm interweaving some of Season 4 Smallville episode dialogue into this. Hope everyone enjoys! PLEASE feel free to comment, good or bad. I like all feedback!_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Jason found himself driving like a madman back to his dorm at Central Kansas. A bottle of tequila in a paper sack that he just purchased from a nearby liquor store. He was planning on getting plastered tonight!

His car sped up on the country road that was a straight shot to the college. There was no one on the roads at this time of night so he gunned it. The speedometer sped up to 110 mph before he finally cooled down some and decided he better slow it down.

This is his mother's car after all.

The following morning found Jason back at the Luthor mansion putting his plan into action. He had to act fast for this to work. It's a good thing that when he drinks, he holds his liquor well and has a practical cure-all for hangovers. He needed all of his synopses in perfect working order to pull off this acting job.

As he approached the Luthor backyard, he overheard Lex ask one of his security guards, "How long has she been dead?"

"At least a day"

It's showtime!, Jason tells himself as he approaches Lex and his band of security.

"Lex?" Jason asks innocently, and then sees the partially buried dead body of a woman. He recoils, "Oh my god!"

Lex was obviously perturbed that Jason of all people saw this. Irritated, Lex ground out, "Jason, what are you doing here?"

Glancing back at Lex in wide eyed pseudo-shock, he replied, "I came to talk to you about some reports and then I saw security run out of the mansion."

The head of Lex's security team approached Lex with a wallet, "I found this sir...We got an ID."

Lex opens wallet and reads name aloud on driver's license.

"Bridgette Crosby"

"I know that name!" Jason exclaimed, "I've come across it several times in my research. She works for Virgil Swann, the billionaire."

Lex closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was feeling a migraine coming on, "Look Jason, this doesn't concern you!"

"If it has anything to do with the artifacts, it concerns me Lex!"

Lex turned to his security team. He needed Jason out of here, and pronto. "Edwards, Lyle, will you please escort Mr Teague to his car?"

As Jason was escorted away by the Luthor security team, he had a smirk on his face.

Phase 1 is complete!

* * *

That night, Lex walks into his library and catches Jason at his desk on his laptop. Jason set this scene up on purpose. He wanted to unsettle Lex, push him into doing something that is actually against the law. Jason knew that Lex will do most anything for self-preservation regarding the Luthor name and the Luthor assets.

"Find anything interesting?" Lex asked as he began approaching his desk, intent on throwing Jason out.

Jason looks up with a quirk of an eyebrow, not a bit startled by Lex's intrusion.

"Yeah as a matter of fact, I did."

Lex leaned down on the desk, palms flat on the desktop, "You crossed the line, Jason. I take my privacy very seriously!"

And Jason still doesn't move from Lex's desk chair, enjoying the power play. He knew Teagues weren't all that much different from Luthors, both families are filthy rich and both know no boundaries.

"Well Lex, I take MURDER very seriously."

Jason points at laptop screen and comments, "It says here you sent an email to Bridgette Crosby..."

Lex straightens, knowing it would cause more suspicion if he bodily threw Jason out. Changing tactics, his hands in the pockets of his expensive business slacks, he shrugs, "I never denied I knew her."

Jason continued as if Lex never said anything, keeping his tone non-chalant, "Hmm...Confirming a meeting between the two of you here at the Luthor mansion."

Jason stands now and walks around the desk to face off with Lex. Jason and Lex were about the same height, but Jason had slightly more build than Lex, making Jason look like the larger one. He drove his point home to Lex, watching his reactions carefully. "That meeting was to take place on the same morning she was found face down in the dirt."

Lex eyed Jason, still standing his ground, cool as a cucumber. That was Lex for you. Never let the other person see him sweat. "Well, Ms Crosby never showed up for that meeting."

Lex walks over to the bar to pour a drink while Jason watches him speculatively.

"You mentioned an 'item' in your email. I assume you were talking about an artifact." Jason studies Lex closely while Lex sips his brandy and meets Jason's eyes, giving the appearance of a relaxed man.

Jason walked closer to Lex, eyes narrowing, "What were you going to do, Lex? Were you going to buy it from her, or were you going to take it with force?"

Lex had now reached the end of his patience as he hissed, "I don't need to explain myself to you Jason."

Jason knew he had him then. He nodded in seeming agreement, "No, but you're gonna have to explain it to the police."

Lex rolled his eyes, "Look, I have no interest being in a murder investigation I have nothing to do with. Not to mention the media circus that comes with it."

"Too bad Lex. There was a DEAD BODY found on your property! It's kinda hard to ignore."

"Trust me, I'm not."

Jason nods knowingly, his trademark smirk coming out.

"Who are you trying to protect, hm? You? Your father?"

Lex gets in Jason's face in anger, "Burying bodies in the backyard isn't exactly a hobby of mine, Jason!"

"Yeah, well, covering up a homicide isn't exactly a hobby of mine." Jason leaves and calls over his shoulder, "I think I'll go have a chat with the sherriff."

* * *

That night on Luthor grounds, Jason and the Sheriff have flashlights and are walking through the Luthor property.

"Over here Sheriff." Jason walks toward the spot that he knows the body was buried, then he looks around in confusion. "Wait a second." He spins around, there's no body left there anymore and it looked like things have changed in the backyard too.

Jason points at a spot on the ground as he insists, "The body was right here. It was right next to this rock. They must have just built that gazebo."

Sheriff Adams seemed tired, and was obviously not believing a word Jason was telling her. She sighed, "Well, according to county records, the gazebo's been here even before the Luthors ever heard of Smallville."

Jason spun around to face her, vehemence in his voice, "Sheriff, I know what I saw!"

"Uh huh. The dead and decaying body of one Bridgette Crosby..." She shakes her head and sighs tiredly again, "Mr. Teague. I'll level with you. A good murder mystery is just the thing I could use right about now. The thing is, you can't have a murder without a victim. And see, this Bridgette Crosby….. there's no record she even existed."

Jason rolled his eyes heavenward, "For the love of... this is crazy! Of COURSE she existed!"

"Well, every government database from the IRS to the PTA happens to disagree with you Mr Teague. I even went on one of those Google searches and it kept asking me if I meant 'Bing Crosby'."

Jason's face lights up as an idea seemed to hit him.

"The gardener! The gardener found the body! Did you question him?"

"I questioned the entire landscaping staff."

"C'mon Sheriff, think about it. It's Lex! He's paid them off or he's intimidating them!"

Sheriff Adams was tired of this whole thing by now and she gritted out, "Or you're yanking my rope, Mr Teague." She walked closer to him and pointed a finger underneath his nose, "The next time you say there's been a killing, I'd better see a stiff!"

* * *

Jason and the Sheriff walk back to their cars, once Jason sees that the Sheriff has left, he pulls out a cell phone from his pocket and calls his mother, that self-satisfied smirk back on his face.

"Hello Mother... " He smiles wider, his plan did work and his mother will love it... "Oh it's done! Lex took care of the body just like we wanted... I love you too." He hangs up, then admires the Kryptonian stone he took from Bridgette Crosby that he's now holding in his hand.


	4. Chapter 4

Jason stood transfixed at the Smallville High gym doorway, his heart at his feet.

He had been on his way to Lana's apartment after the "successful" night he had with Lex and the sheriff, covering the tracks of what he and his mother have done.

But as he passed Smallville High school, he noticed the large crowd of cars, some students outside dressed in formal attire.

And suddenly, he remembered it's prom night!

Lana had pestered him for months about all the little details of prom and it was assumed he would escort her. But with juggling his mom, Lex, and Lana, apparently he dropped one of those balls one too many times.

He realized now how much he took for granted, and how in the last month or so since he and Lana returned from China, she no longer brought the subject of prom up to him. Their last argument sealed it. He may as well face it. It's indeed over.

Now he sees why. As he stood transfixed, watching Lana dance a slow dance with Clark Kent, he could finally see it. Their relationship was over, but it looks like Clark and Lana's was beginning again.

Admitting defeat to himself, he decided to forget Lana Lang and move forward. He has bigger fish to fry anyway. Lana was just a pawn in his mother's game. He'll still try to do what he can to keep Lana safe from his mom, but as far as a relationship, that's done.

He turned and left before Lana could see him mooning in the doorway.

* * *

Chloe was beginning to finally relax and enjoy herself at the dance. After the chaos created earlier by Dawn Stiles' ghost, everyone was moving on with their night like nothing extra-terrestrial ever happened.

She chatted and joked with Lois, until Bob Goins interrupted their conversation and politely asked Lois to dance. Bob was a shy guy, and it actually impressed Chloe that he found the nerve to ask her outgoing cousin for a dance. Lois loves to cut down guys that have heads bigger than hers. She claims it brings them down a peg or two and it's something they need once in a while. But with guys like Bob, her cousin can show uncharacteristic kindness and heart.

So Lois accepted the invitation for a dance and Chloe was left at the table by herself, watching the dancers sway to the slow melody being played by the band.

She noticed a couple of classmates looking toward the doorway and apparently gossiping to each other. Chloe's journalistic curiosity couldn't be stopped as she turned in her seat to peer toward the door as well to see what all the fuss is about.

Seeing Jason Teague, her eyes widened as she made sure Clark and Lana didn't notice him.

Former assistant football coach... Lana Lang's boyfriend... or actually, EX-boyfriend.

And Chloe could see why Jason looked so shell-shocked as he watched Clark and Lana dance together like they never broke up.

_Join the club!_ Chloe thought as she sighed. If anyone knows what it's like to be the fifth wheel in regards to the drama that is Clark and Lana, she is a card carrying member! Turning back to Jason in sympathy, she noticed he firmed his jaw suddenly, and then turned abruptly, leaving quickly.

Without thought, Chloe grabbed her purse and waded through the crowd to the gym door, ran out in the hallway, and headed for the front doors. The high heels she was wearing slowed her down so she stopped, pulled them off quickly and ran barefoot the rest of the way to the front doors.

At the doors, she saw Jason cross the parking lot, heading toward his convertible that she knows his mother bought him.

"Jason!" Chloe calls out to him, not caring a bit that other high school seniors are outside and seeing Chloe Sullivan chase down the former assistant football coach that was rumored to have "done it" with Lana Lang.

To the guys, this man was a GOD! To the girls, Lana was just a "ho" for getting with a Smallville High staff member, her reputation at Smallville High going steadily down the tubes.

Jason heard his name and at the sound of it, he turned, finding Chloe gingerly running barefoot over asphalt until she made it to the soft grass he was standing on.

He noticed the tiara on her head and smirked. He just HAD to make a comment. "Your highness." He bowed to her, making her laugh.

Chloe pulled the tiara off her head, "Oh this thing? I invited my friends to a tiara burning party but they are all otherwise occupied."

Straightening, suddenly serious, he answered, "Yeah, I noticed." the tic in Jason's jaw was back.

Compassion flowed over Chloe. Who better to understand what he's going through than her? She's lived it through four years of high school. "You're better off without her, you know." Chloe murmured softly.

Jason's eyes narrowed on the petite blonde, "You're her best friend. And she keeps getting the guy YOU want. Aren't you the least bit bitter?"

Chloe began noticing the curious stares they were getting from her friends, and Jason's question was hanging over her head too. She ignored his question and stepped closer to him, indicating her head to the 5 or 6 students watching them. Quietly, she asked, "Umm…. You do realize that you and I will be the talk of the town tomorrow? Right?"

Jason saw the students staring at them too. He gave them a smile and wink, then answered, "Story of my life. My name is 'Mud' in high school football coach circles anyway. Besides…." He folded his arms, looking Chloe over with a new appreciation, "What do you expect from a small town anyway? Everybody knows everyone else's business."

"Then I have an idea. Why don't we get away from the prying eyes and I can tell you more about the Lana/Clark saga?"

"I'll go one better. How about we get out of here and have our own party and forget Clark or Lana ever existed for a while?"

Chloe was tempted. Jason really was a nice looking guy, he was rich, and a witty sense of humor that she always liked. And being with Jason, spending time with him, might be just what her ego needs right now.

"OK, where's your car?"

Jason didn't think it over for long. A hot blonde, who was Lana's best friend to boot, was suggesting getting away... together for a while. He gestured toward his car and placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her.

"Right this way your highness. Your chariot awaits."


	5. Chapter 5

"I feel special. Smallville High's prom queen in my dorm room. I'm not sure what to do. Should I bow?"

Chloe giggled, the alcohol making her tipsy. They were on Jason's couch, in the dorm room bought with his family money, drinking the wine coolers he had. She almost finished a wine cooler and was soon to start on another one. She was feeling a pleasant buzz from the alcohol and she was sitting on the couch of Jason Teague, _Lana's ex-boyfriend! _She was feeling slightly reckless tonight, wanting to thumb her nose at the whole world. And that definitely included Clark and Lana.

She peered around, smiling brightly at the décor. "This is nice," she murmured, turning back to beam at him. Jason smirked, tipping his wine cooler in her direction in thanks.

"It's only temporary, but I suppose if I have to live somewhere, this doesn't do too badly."

Chloe cast her eyes around the room. It was sparsely furnished, but the electronics set up in the far corner of the room seemed state of the art. "Mmm hmm..." She turned back and caught his eye. "I wish I had a place this nice."

"I don't usually talk about my apartment when I have a beautiful, intelligent blonde in my room." He murmured, reaching out to trace a finger down her cheek. He didn't like thinking about how he had this nice place, nor what he had to do to get it. The Swiss bank account he'd set up to hide the money his mother paid him, and the fact that he embezzles a few thousand here and there from his mother to build up the account. His eyes narrowed briefly and he swallowed the bile in his throat. No! It was better to focus on Chloe.

"Lana never told me you were so fun to be with."

"Lana probably doesn't tell you a lot of things." Jason answered sardonically.

"Are you insinuating that our friendship is not as close as we appear?"

The smile on her face faded under the intensity of his serious gaze. "No, I'm _telling_ you it's not." Seeing her raised eyebrow, he sighed, and turned his body to where he was facing her fully, arm on the back of the couch and a knee resting on the couch seat, resting the wine cooler on his knee, keeping the bottle steady with his left hand. He tried his best to explain. "Lana goes on and on about how she's sick of people keeping secrets. She expects everyone to be open books. That's just impossible. God knows I don't want everyone knowing every skeleton in my closet, that's for damn sure."

Chloe took a sip from her bottle, thinking it over. "She has her own secrets. She's not nearly as forthcoming as she'd like everyone else to be."

"Damn straight! And she is definitely with the wrong guy if she wants to know all about him. Clark Kent is locked up tighter than Fort Knox. That will eventually drive her crazy."

Chloe had her body turned in his direction, mimicking his posture, except her head was lying on the back of the couch, giving Jason the opportunity to play with the curls in her hair. She was staring at him with heavy lidded eyes and a small smile. Jason quirked a brow and asked curiously, "What?"

"Is it really true that you and Lana never....." Chloe trailed off, trying to find a polite to say it.

"Fucked?" Jason supplied boldly, filling in the blank of her thoughts while stroking a particular curl he had wrapped around his finger. He shrugged, "Unfortunately, it is true, we never did. She did offer once though."

Any dirt on Lana brought a smile. Lana always seemed too perfect. "Oh yeah? Do tell!"

Taking another swig of his wine cooler, he swallowed and smirked at Chloe, shrugging, "Doesn't really matter. She was just trying to keep me in the relationship by using her body, and frankly, I don't want a girl that will use her body as a weapon to keep me compliant. I look at that as just another power play and that turns me off, big time."

Another swig and he continued, watching Chloe carefully. "I want a girl that wants me for me. Not for my money, because if I screw up, that won't last. Not someone my Mom chooses because frankly..." He shuddered and shook his head, "That is a scary thought. But someone that cares about me and will stand by me regardless. As for Lana?" Jason had to reluctantly release Chloe's hair as he gulped one last swig and tossed the empty bottle in the garbage, grabbing two more and opening them, passing one to Chloe since she finished hers and he gulped another swallow from his bottle. "All it took is one look from Clark Kent and she went running back. I never stood a chance. She ran to Paris because of Clark, so I was the rebound guy. Nothing more."

Chloe scooted closer to him and leaned over on him drunkenly, placing a hand on his shoulder, and her chin on top of that. With half hooded eyes, she asked, "Did you ever want to? Do it with her I mean?"

Jason snorted, "Hell yes! I'm a guy, not a monk! What do you think??"

"Of course,." Chloe sighed, then pouted and leaned away from him, obvious disappointment in her body language. She drunkenly slurs, "Everybody wants Lana. Never (hic!) me!" Shaking her head drunkenly, she whines, "You haven't shut up about her since I got here. Why is that? What does _she_ have that I don't?"

Jason wasn't quite as drunk as Chloe, but was drunk enough to loosen his tongue, and to realize he better do some damage control. "Not a damn thing sweetheart."

Chloe wasn't listening. She barreled on, leaping clumsily off of the couch and pacing in front of him, gesturing with her arms and nearly sloshing her wine cooler on the carpet. "Come on! She's friggin' perfect! She has the exotic looks and guys flock around her like bees to honey. But me? I'm just..... _plain_!" Chloe sniffed, trying her best to keep from crying. Another gulp from her bottle, and then she exclaims, "I am constantly surrounded by what I'm not. There's Lana and her oh-so-perfect self. And then, there's Lois, who has a rack out to here..." Chloe extends her hands several inches in front of her chest to indicate Lois's attributes. "And Lois can kick any guy's ass if she is pissed off enough. But me? I'm just editor of the school newspaper, the search engine, the go-to dependable Chloe."

"And prom queen. Don't forget that. You've one-upped Lana _and _Lois on that one." Jason interjected. His lips twitched as she shook her head, golden hair tossing back and forth in agitation.

"Just a fluke." Chloe said, rolling her eyes, "That's just an 'in your face' kind of message that the school was making to the popular kids because of one of my articles. Compare me to my closest friends and I'm not even a blip on the radar!"

Jason shook his head in wonder. "Who'd have thought a girl like you would have issues with insecurity?" He tilted his head, and his eyes raked over her, as though he'd not seen her before. "You really have no reason to be, you know."

"What?"

"Insecure."

"Why's that," she demanded, propping a fist on her hip.

"You're gorgeous, Chloe."

Her eyes were wide with wonder and her arms dropped to her sides, "Really? You think I'm gorgeous?"

Jason had to reach out quickly from his sitting position and grab her wine cooler bottle, setting it on the floor out of the way before it spilled all over the floor. Then he carefully took her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"Yes." He replied seriously, squinting at her. "I'll tell you one thing, had I met you first, Lana would have been the last thing on my mind."

"Oh, come on!" Chloe exclaimed with an eye roll.

Giving her hands a friendly squeeze, he exclaimed, "It's true. I'd have tripped over my own tongue-" he huffed out a breath as he watched the incredulous look spread over her features. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

He realeased her hands in order to lever himself off the low couch. It took him a couple of tries to get off the couch due to a swimming head and limbs that seemed to be made of lead. Once accomplished though, he turned to Chloe, extending his hand, wanting her to make the choice to place her hand in his. She hesitated, he flashed her a disarming smile.

"Trust me, Chloe. I'm not the big bad wolf about to devour Little Red Riding Hood. This will take just a moment."

He walked her over to a mirror. Her hair was askew, the crown was lopsided and Jason's arms were around her waist from behind, keeping her upright on her unsteady legs.

"Look at the girl in the mirror, Chloe." he murmured as he met her eyes in the mirror.

"Yeah, she's a mess!" Chloe frowned at her reflection.

But Jason shook his head. "No..... I see sparkling green eyes, blond hair, gorgeous body and an actual brain behind all of that. You are the complete package Chlo'."

Jason hooked a finger underneath her chin, turned her head toward him and slowly lowered his head to her mouth, kissing her softly. When she began to respond, he backed off, his lips hovering millimeters from hers, their breaths mingling. He closed his eyes for just a moment, breathed in the heady scent of her, then opened his eyes, meeting her gaze and whispered huskily, "Now, look in the mirror."

Shakily, she turned back to the mirror and started to see what he was trying to say. Her skin was now flushed, but she wasn't sure if it was his kiss or the alcohol that caused that. Her lips had that fresh kissed roundness to them and she could begin to see the nipples poking through her dress in embarrassing arousal.

Hugging her from behind, Jason whispered in her ear, "You're so much better than Lana. I wish there was some way I could really get you to see that."

Chloe's self esteem was still very fragile and she rolled her eyes, "Right.... you are using lines to get into my pants."

Jason stilled, he gritted his teeth and then slowly backed away. Chloe felt the change instantly and turned to face him. The anger flashing in his green eyes made her gasp.

In a deadly serious voice, he gritted out, "Let's get something straight Chloe. I don't need to feed lines to any woman to make them want me. All right?"

Chloe nodded mutely, surprised at his sudden change in his demeanor and she was beginning to wonder if she might need to beat a hasty retreat.

Instead, Jason took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh, calming himself. He approached her more calmly, placing his hands on her waist. Now his voice sounded more normal, less gritting. "All I want, Chlo', is for us to have a good time. Sex doesn't have to be involved."

Chloe was getting woozy so Jason led her back to the couch, helping her sit down. Chloe placed her head in her hands to still her spinning head, "Guys like you usually don't look twice at me, Jason. The only reason I'm here is because Lana isn't."

Jason sat down next to her and remarked truthfully, "And the only reason you agreed to come here is because Clark is beyond your reach."

Chloe turned her head to glare at him and he shrugged, not one bit apologetic. "Hey! It's the truth! But you know what else?" Jason leaned forward and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, then cupped her cheek, "He's the one getting the raw end of the deal tonight."

Seeing that he had her full, undivided attention, he placed an arm around her shoulders and continued, "Clark has this beautiful girl that is obviously very devoted to him, and would do absolutely anything for him, but he's stuck on Lana.... a girl that's all about herself. That's his loss Chlo'. You deserve so much better than that. You deserve a guy that is just as devoted to you as you are to him. I think you should move on past Clark Kent and get on with your life."

He pulled his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and flipped it open, "And to prove my gentlemanly motives, I'm calling you a cab."

While he waited for someone to pick up, he winked at her, "I don't know about you, but I don't drink and drive and I've had a little too much to drive you home. I want you home safely."

This gesture warmed Chloe's heart. He spoke quickly, smiling at her when he turned to find her watching him. When he disconnected, he closed his phone and placed it back in his shirt pocket.

"They'll be here in about fifteen minutes." he announced.

"Jason...." Chloe started out hesitantly, not sure how to ask for what she wanted.

"Yeah?" he asked, his arm still around her and he gave her a friendly squeeze on the shoulder.

"This was my senior prom, and I was even crowned prom queen.... but I never got to dance."

Jason smiled at her, then stood again, giving his spinning head a minute to right itself before approaching his CD player, looking through his CDs. Chloe's eyes widened when he found a CD of her favorite band, started a slow ballad and turned to her with a smile.

"Consider it done!" He extended his hand for a second time that evening to her. "Chloe, may I have this dance?"


	6. Chapter 6

(Note from author - I thank everyone that is reading this fic. I'm sorry for the long time it takes to update. This is straight from an episode in Season 4 between Genevieve and Lionel, but it ties into the whole scheme of the story. Please read and comment. Feedback, whether it's good or bad, truly helps me.)

While Jason and Chloe were dancing in his dorm room, Genevieve was waiting for her a guest in her penthouse living room. Her doorman had informed her that Lionel Luthor, the most feared man in Metropolis - hell, probably the world - was on his way up. One thing was certain, Luthor may scare the world, but she, for one, was unimpressed.

Even so, she jumped a little when his unexpected, dry voice disrupted the silence of the apartment. "Genevieve… you know, I'm not accustomed to being summoned like a lapdog."

The annoyance in his words was expertly veiled, but it was there. Genevieve grinned to herself, taking a sip of her champagne. Her back to him, voice dismissive, she spoke, deliberately disarming her words with a soft laugh, "Don't be silly, Lionel. I'd never allow you on my lap." She turned to face him, tipping her champagne flute in mock salute.

Lionel chuckled. Genevieve Teague still possessed a quick wit. After draping his suit coat neatly on one of her antique chairs, he strolled toward her. "Let's get to the point Genevieve. Why am I here if not for the pleasure of my company?"

She delayed her answer, knowing that the man in her living room enjoyed controlling everyone he came in contact with. It was a trait they shared, and Genevieve knew how much it irked her when people didn't jump when she snapped her fingers. Lionel Luthor would be no different. She walked to the wet bar, holding up the bottle of champagne she had been enjoying and he inclined his head.

"Time to repay old debts, Lionel." she murmured, pouring his glass with a flourish.

"Debts?" He accepted the glass she offered with a raised brow and a curled lip.

"Arranging your release from a maximum security prison was not an easy task. And I have yet to receive even a little gratitude."

Lionel walked away, took a seat on her couch, sipped his drink like he had all the time in the world and pretended to think it over. Sarcasm dripped out of his voice. "Well, I've been wracking my brain trying to write a thank-you note but, words can never express the way I feel."

"Let's not pay games with each other, Lionel." she crossed to him, a thoughtfully serious expression on her face, mouth tightening with annoyance when the smile on her adversary's face grew. "Your son just returned from China with the last element. I'd like for you to retrieve it for me."

Lionel smiled, shaking his head, "Oh no. You have the wrong son in mind. It was _Jason_ who brought the stone back home."

Genevieve practically snorted in disbelief, "Jason is incapable of such subterfuge. Unfortunately, he inherited his intelligence from my husband's side of the family."

Lionel, in typical Luthor fashion, raised an eyebrow and remarked with a slight shrug, "Yeah… I never thought you married well."

Genevieve ignored his comment and took a different tact, trying a little flattery. "Lex, on the other hand, received his genes from a far more cunning source."

"You know, there were other treasure seekers in China, Genevieve." Lionel was not one to be easily played. Genevieve recognized his cagey expression. The elder Luthor was apparently wracking his own brain to find her angle. _Good, _she thought, _I've got him off balance._

Genevieve found a place to perch herself, on the arm of a chair instead of in the chair, across from Lionel. She smirked with some female satisfaction when she noticed Lionel followed her movements with interest. She crossed her legs purposely, allowing Luthor a glimpse of one of her best physical assets. Now that she had his full attention, she looked toward the ceiling, thinking it over. "Ah yes! A farm boy, an ex-cheerleader and Lex Luthor." She faced Lionel with a raised brow, "Who do you think ended up with the prize?"

Lionel's gaze left her legs and met her eyes as he gave a small laugh, "Well, my son hasn't been listening to me for years! What do you want me to do? Give him a good spanking?"

This had the exact effect Lionel was hoping for. He cracked through Genevieve's regal armor and now her temper was starting to show. He saw her momentarily clench her jaw, while he still felt cool as a cucumber. Her eyes narrowed, "You know Lionel, I don't think either one of us wants me to go after Lex myself."

Lionel leaned forward now and placed his glass on the coffee table. His tone and stare were deadly. "Now, you be careful Genevieve. I regard a threat to any Luthor as a threat to me."

Genevieve wasn't going to show that he's now rattled her slightly, that tone of voice coming from a _murderer_ no less, could raise the heartbeat to some degree. She shrugged as if she didn't care, "Take it any way you wish Lionel. I want that stone! And I'm going to get it, one way.... or another."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note - this chapter is in the story to give Chloe a little more background about her dad, something that was never brought up in the series. Thanks to my beta-reader AW Kizume for beta reading the last few chapters, including this one. You've done an awesome job Kiz! And thank you to those that have left reviews. I love reading them, good or bad, so keep writing the reviews! Thank you to all my readers!**

Chloe sat, bathed in the glow of her computer screen, typing intermittently. She had wanted to finish up her last article at the Torch office, but Principal Reynolds had caught her staying late. Again.

He'd seen her in the office late into the night on many occasions, but tonight, it had seemed that he was less than pleased by her diligence for her craft.

"_Ms. Sullivan. __What on earth are you still doing here?" _

_Chloe pasted a bright smile on her face when she looked up from her computer screen, but inside she was cursing roundly. A quick glance told her it was well after eight o'clock in the evening. "Hi__,__ Mr. Reynolds. I'm just trying to finish editing this last article before it goes to print tomorrow." _

_"The paper only goes out once a week Ms. Sullivan__. __You've been staying late – too late, if you want my honest opinion – for weeks now. I'm afraid, young lady, I am going to have to pull rank and send you home." _

_Chloe opened her mouth to argue, but Principal Reynolds raised a hand to quiet her, "There is something to be said for drive, and work ethic, Miss Sullivan. They are admirable qualities. However, you are only in high school. High school, if memory serves me, is a time for fun, friends and getting into a bit of trouble from time to time. Not working yourself into an early grave." _

_"But Mr. Reynolds, this will only take me about fifteen minutes, tops. I promise I'll be on my way then." _

_"Mmm-hmmm,__.__" Mr. Reynolds tone made it clear he didn't buy it.. "Very well, fifteen minutes, then.__ I will be in my office across the hall, and I will have my eye on the clock. **Fifteen minutes **Ms. Sullivan**, **and I will be back to escort you to your car. Don't argue with me, young lady. It's dark and though this may not be Metropolis, I am responsible for your welfare while on school property _

Damn!_ Chloe thought, watching him exit the office and head across the hall. It looked like she would be heading home, to her empty house tonight._

_Despite her annoyance at not finagling the situation to her liking, she had to admit, it was nice to have someone looking out for her, a father-figure with her interests in mind. _

_She really liked Principal Reynolds. He truly cared about his students. He could be tough at times, but he was also fair. She remembered a couple of times having to explain why certain articles should be in The Torch that he clearly thought of as science fiction. AKA, meteor__-__freak stories. But she presented all of her proof, her interview notes, what research she had done, and he finally allowed her to print the stories. He at least listened to her with an unbiased ear and she liked that about him. It reminded her a lot of how her father used to be._

_Bitterness welled up inside her, and the computer screen blurred as her eyes filled with unexpected tears. Chloe huffed out an annoyed, if shaky, breath, and focused on the computer screen. This was neither the time, nor the place to wallow in self-pity._

_She stared at her article for a moment more, knowing she was done with the editing. She dallied a few more minutes, moving commas around before sighing heavily and saving her document. It took her three more minutes to fully shut down her machine and head to the door. She met Principal Reynolds in the hall and they left the building together._

_Once they had reached her car, he waited for her to pull out her keys, unlock and open the door before turning toward where his own vehicle was parked. "Drive safely, Ms Sullivan." He pointed a finger at her warningly, but with a smile to take the edge off, "No speeding young lady!" _

_She smiled warmly at him, "Yes__,__ sir."_

And now she was alone in her house with only the chirping of the crickets and the whir of the ceiling fan for company. She'd never understood what the phrase '"deafening silence" meant, until her father had moved out. It pressed down on your skull until it became nearly impossible to think. If only she had someone to talk to, to break this oppressive quiet. This was one of the moments that she wished she was not an only child.

Clark was probably with Lana, and she definitely didn't want to be the fifth wheel in that relationship any longer. Lois was probably at Met U partying and having a blast the only way she knew how. Pete was half a state away and had made new friends. She wasn't desperate enough for human contact to make a fool of herself calling him.

No one except Lois knew that her father no longer lived with her. Chloe and Lois had fought many times about it, Lois believing she needed people to check up on her. No one knowing was all right by Chloe. It wasn't anyone's business but hers, and she had her pride, after all.

If she told people her father was no longer living in Smallville, she would have to explain why. Small town folk needed to know everything. And the "everything" was just too painful and embarrassing for her to think about, let alone share with other people.

Her father had fallen into downward spiral of depression after everything that had happened between her family and the Luthors. It had gotten especially bad after he lost his job at Luthorcorp.

A consequence of her naiveté of believing she could outsmart the devil.

She was a little older, and just a little bit wiser, and could look back and realize that the deal she made with Lionel was just a moment of weakness, a childish grudge against Clark. It was a good thing she hadn't known about Clark's abilities when she made that pact with Lionel, or else Clark would be a Luthor lab rat by now.

She'd come so close to ruining Clark's life that it was almost too scary to think about.

Her Dad had been extremely disappointed in her when she confided all to him. He never really talked to her about it, after the fact. She had really needed her dad to step in and comfort his daughter. Tell her everything was going to be okay. He was supposed to be the man to help chase all the monsters away for her, like he had when she'd been a little girl.

But he'd let her down. Every rejection he received from other companies when he submitted his resume just pulled him deeper into that bitter depression and pushed her farther away.

Being black-listed by Luthorcorp (or its founder) was devastating to her father, and he sought solace in the bottle. Their final conversation, weeks into his drinking, was something she would never forget.

_It was a Thursday, and she had gotten home late to a house that reeked of stale alcohol and was littered with dozens of empty bottles. Her father had been snoring on the living room couch, his clothing filthy and stinking, one unwashed arm tossed over his eyes. Pissed, she took her bookbag up the stairs to her room before coming back down and heading into the kitchen. Chloe rolled her eyes as his snores reached her ears, but she grabbed up a garbage bag and headed back into the room to begin collecting the empties. _

_The bottles clinked roughly against each other as she tossed them in to the bag. __Her father, in her mind had been a heroic figure. To see him cower like a beaten puppy, and not stand and fight disappointed her more than she could describe. To see the man she'd always seen as ten feet tall turn into a drunken slob, it broke her heart. _

_He groaned at the sound of clanking bottles and with bleary eyes, turned to Chloe. _

_"So Dad, did you send out any more resumes__'__? Get any interviews?" Chloe's voice dripped with disdain. She knew the answer. Gabe Sullivan hadn't done a damn thing but drink himself into a stupor. _

_"Why bother?" Gabe murmured, letting his arm flop off of the couch.__._

_She glowered at the back of his head before stalking over to the light switch, flipping it on roughly, getting perverse pleasure from his pained cry as his hands rose automatically to cover his face. _

_"Chloe, turn that fucking light off!" _

_"No Dad. I've had it! _**You**_ are supposed to be the adult here. But instead, I keep coming home and cleaning up after **you** and taking care of _**you**_ when it should be the other way around!" _

_Gabe raised up with a groan and held his pounding head in his hands, "Chloe, I really don't want to discuss this right now." _

_"Oh really! So _when _are we going to discuss it Dad because there never seems to be a time that you want to discuss anything with me!" _

_Tiredly, he muttered, "That might be because of your attitude__,__ young lady. I thought I raised you to respect your elders?" _

_Chloe flung the garbage bag by the door, making the bottles clank loudly again and she faced her dad with her fists on her hips. She glared at her dad, not recognizing the defeated man before her any longer. _

_Before she could say anything further, he said the words she'd never forget for the rest of her life. _

_"Don't you think you have some responsibility in all of this, Chlo'?" His bleary eyes glared back at her, "Why do you think I've been busting my ass trying to find a job, even if it meant flipping burgers? The Luthors have blacklisted me everywhere I turn. And it's all because of _**_you_**_! Do you not get that?" _

_Chloe's ire swiftly turned to guilt at his words. _

_"Dad, I tried to make it right. You know that! I have the information to put Lionel in jail. Lex will help you get another job."_

_"Haven't you figured out yet that you can't trust a Luthor?" _

_"Dad, Lex is _**_not_**_ Lionel. He tries to do what's right." _

_Gabe sighed tiredly, "Chloe, maybe this is teaching you a lesson. I hope to God it is. All actions have consequences. Be they good or bad, they don't just affect you. In this case, it affects both of us. _

_He stood on wobbly legs and realized he needed to go to the bathroom. Chloe looked him over for the first time in a really long time. He had grown a week's worth of beard, his eyes were glazed and had black rings, and he was losing weight from drinking more than eating. _

_"Dad... I'm sorry." Chloe's lower lip trembled slightly. Gabe pierced her with a defeated look as he shook his head sadly. _

_"Sorry just doesn't cut it anymore Chlo'. You made this mess of our lives, you need to clean it up." _

_Chloe's lip trembled more and a tear was beginning in the corner of her eye. She refused to let the tear fall and she pressed her lips together in determination._

And that was when she left to speak to Lex about the damning evidence she had against his father.

Then when the trial was over, Lionel was placed in jail on a life sentence, and it seemed the blacklisting was lifted on Gabe. He found an executive job working for Queen Industries in Star City. But that meant Chloe would have to spend her senior year in a new city.

Chloe felt that Gabe just wanted to get away from Smallville as quick as possible. But she didn't want to leave before starting her senior year. So her dad relented, letting her stay behind.

But the damage in their relationship was already done. The hurtful words he said to her one drunken night just caused Chloe a lot of heartache. She and her dad were simply uncomfortable now with each other. She didn't even get to share the news that she was prom queen a week ago.

She and her dad were no longer the same. He was not the same dad from her childhood. He always seemed to look at her with disappointment. And now he'd moved across the country, leaving her behind. She knew her dad asked her to go with him, but to her, she felt her dad asked out of courtesy. Not due to any real desire for her to be near him. In Chloe's eyes, he seemed happy and relieved to take off to Star City and just send a monthly check to an account Chloe used for living expenses.

She stopped working on her article and reflected. She began to feel unlovable. Her dad abandoned her, at least that's the way she viewed it. He could have found a job in Metropolis if he really wanted to, but his daughter's wishes were no longer a concern of his.

And the one guy she really believed she loved since she first met him at thirteen couldn't love her back because he was in love with someone else. Clark Kent saw Chloe as his best friend. He kept her in this box that he mentally labeled **_"Best Friend, Do Not Touch". _**Reluctantly, she finally decided it's better to go along with him and continue being his friend than to lose him altogether. She couldn't help but think that Lana was a lucky girl to have a guy like Clark so totally devoted to her.

Then later she found out about his extraordinary abilities, thanks to his ex-girlfriend Alicia Baker. Now she finally got it. She knows now why Lionel was so interested in Clark, and she vowed to herself that she'd never tell anyone Clark's secret. She'll be Clark's most loyal friend, even if he himself doesn't realize it yet. She'd rather die than expose Clark's secrets to anyone.

Her self-esteem had been fragile when it came to men. Spending time with Jason helped a little with that. That maybe she's not unlovable. That maybe she is actually worthy of love. The thought of Jason Teague brought a smile to her lips. No wonder Lana fell for him in Paris! He was really charming, had a great sense of humor, and he could be a gentleman. She really enjoyed his company on prom night, even though she woke up with a bad hangover the next morning. She hoped they could one day get together again, minus the alcohol.

Her doorbell rang and Chloe frowned. She glanced at her watch and saw it was 9 pm. Who would ring her doorbell now?

Probably Lois, Chloe thought, as she closed her laptop and hopped off the couch.

Lois, being her cousin and the only one that knew she lived alone, can come by at the oddest times to check on her. Chloe was so sure Lois was at the door that she unlocked and opened it, then opened her mouth to greet Lois and froze in shock when she saw Jason standing in the doorway with a bouquet of tulips. And being a typical guy, his eyes went to the cleavage of the tank top she was wearing, then back up to meet her eyes with a smile.

Chloe knew she probably looked her worst in sweatpants and tank top, hair sticking up everywhere from running her fingers through it during her depressing reverie. She quickly hid her body behind the door, her head the only thing Jason saw now.

"Bad time?" Jason asked, eyebrow quirked.

"Um... just a surprise. That's all." She smoothed her hair self-consciously and then narrowed her eyes at him playfully, "How did you know where I live?"

"Phone book the size of a postage stamp and only one listing for a Sullivan... I decided to take a chance."

"Then you would have seen the phone number and you could have called me."

"I tried to call you, but all I got was a busy signal.."

Chloe then remembered that she has dial-up Internet service at home, which would tie up the phone lines. "Right, I've been on my laptop, and..."

"You're still using dial-up?"

Chloe knew it was all she could afford right now, so she simply shrugged.

Jason cleared his throat, then asked, "Um, may I come in?"

At her hesitation, he quickly explained, "Look, I'm sorry. I'm freaking you out with this, I can see that. So how about I just set the flowers on the porch swing, I'll give you my cell number, and you can call me when you are ready. Okay?"

Chloe shook her head, snickering at how she was reacting to him. "Look, this is ridiculous. I've known you for months and I know you're not some crazy whack job. So, tell you what? Give me two minutes, I'll get a robe on, start some coffee, then you can come in..." and Chloe smiled toward the bundle in his hands, "with the flowers. We can get to know each other a little."

Jason's charming smile lit up his face as he murmured, "I like that plan. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me to."

Smiling, Chloe replied, "Okay, I'll be right back."

Chloe closed the door ran quickly to do what she said.

She was pretty sure that Jason would help her get her mind off of her depressing thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

A few minutes later, Chloe had returned, a short robe tied loosely around her waist. With a welcoming smile, she ushered Jason inside. "I'll find something to put these in," she murmured, taking the flowers and walking back into the kitchen, indicating Jason could follow if he wanted to.

After locating a vase for the tulips and arranging them prettily, Chloe placed the vase on the coffee table where they both could see the flowers. She went back into the kitchen, poured their coffees, placed them on a serving tray, placed cream and sugar on the tray as well, before bringing them into the living room.

"How do you take it?" she asked, looking from him to the tray. "Cream? Sugar?"

"Black'll do."

"All right," she murmured, pouring his coffee into a mug, before pouring her own, adding a healthy amount of cream and four and a half spoonfuls of sugar. Curiousity bubbled over while they sat in silence.

"How did you know tulips were my favorite flower?" she asked suddenly, eyeing him over the rim of her Winnie the Pooh mug.

"Lana." he said simply.

"Oh." she answered awkwardly, sipping her coffee and subconsciously licking the coffee off her lips. Chloe eyed him again with a raised brow, "Did Lana impart anything else about me that I need to know?"

Jason shrugged, "Let's see... You're eighteen years old, you have plans to major in Journalism at Met U, you also have plans to work for the Daily Planet... You were the star witness against Lionel Luthor last year with damning evidence that put him in jail on a life sentence, but he somehow got out and hasn't bothered you, which I find strange. And you've had a thing for Clark Kent since you first met him at thirteen. Does that about cover it?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and murmured against her cup, "Lana is a blabbermouth."

Jason shrugged, "It's just how it is with couples. They tell each other everything, or at least you assume it's everything until you find out differently." He was now facing her where his knee was propped up on the couch, one hand holding the coffee mug, arm resting on the pillow and the other arm draped along the back of the couch, his hand perilously close to her ear, but yet he didn't make any move to touch her yet. He gave her a disarming smile that almost took her breath away, "At least something useful came out of that relationship. It helped get my foot in the door of this house."

Chloe blushed and smiled as he grinned back at her, then he winked.

He stretched out his hand, and used a finger to tuck an errant curl behind her ear as he murmured, "Let's make a pact, hm? No more talk about Clark or Lana. Tonight, we just hang out and get to know each other."

They talked for a couple of hours, then later deciding to watch a movie. Jason flipped through her DVDs until he came across one that surprised him, "You like horror flicks?" he asked, holding up The Ring so she could see what he was talking about.

"That movie totally freaks me out, but that's why I love it so much."

He opened the case, pressed the button on the DVD player to open. He placed the DVD in and closed it.

A small plan formed in his mind. He didn't know if it would bear fruit, but he sure hoped it would. Usually, scary movies cause girls to practically jump into a guy's arms.

He wasn't for sure if Chloe was that type, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

He sat on one end of the couch while she sat on the other, a whole cushion between them. He didn't want to push her, and since it was her house, he would let her make the first move.

She picked up her remote and pressed the play button.

She only had one lamp on in the room. And she seemed restless, causing Jason to hide a smile. She got up a couple of times during the movie, once to go to the bathroom, once to make popcorn because she claimed she "got the munchies", each time she sat back down a little closer to him. Finally she was sitting right next to him. He took a chance, raised his arm and pulled her in close where her head was on his shoulder, her arm draped across his waist.

_Yeah, now this is more like it. _

He looked down at Chloe and could smell the tangerine shampoo she used for her hair and some light, powdery perfume that he found was not the least bit overwhelming. He hated it when girls practically bathed in perfume, but Chloe's was more subtle.

And this was nice. He would be perfectly content to just snuggle. Although he'd never admit that little tidbit to anyone. He's a guy, he's supposed to be all about sex. right? Wasn't that the point of coming over here and the idea of watching a horror movie?

He wanted Chloe's respect, so he wouldn't push for anything more than this. _Besides_, he thought as he looked down at the blond head on his shoulder, _she's worth the wait_.

Chloe breathed in Jason's cologne. She didn't know what kind it was, probably very expensive, but it smelled incredible. Her hold tightened around his waist when the girl in the movie came crawling out of a TV, dripping wet, to kill whoever was watching and Jason took the opportunity to hug her closer.

She felt him looking at her and she raised her head and met his gaze.

Chloe was holding her breath as Jason seemed to search her face for something. Her mind was screaming, _Yes! Kiss me!. _The way she looked at him seemed to give him the green light because he bent his head down as she lifted her mouth to his and he kissed her. But this time, when she responded, he deepened the kiss, and gave himself a mental pat on the back when she returned the kiss with equal fervor. A hand supported her neck and head while he continued kissing her, raising up to get a better angle on her mouth.

The kiss ended slowly and when they separated, they were both able to breathe again. Chloe opened her eyes and whispered, "Wow!"

"Ditto!" Jason answered, breath panting against her lips, as hers in soft exhalations caressed his.

She saw him swallow hard, "Chloe... if you don't want anything happening tonight, tell me now and I'll walk away."

He could see it in Chloe's eyes, she warred with the decision for about ten seconds before the resolve settled over her features.

She grabbed him by the shirt lapels, kissed him for all she was worth, and fell back on the couch, pulling him on top of her.

Chloe was feeling reckless. And she knew she could do whatever the hell she wanted. Her dad wasn't here to stop her, she had a gorgeous guy in her house with an incredible body, and she wanted **just once** to know what it was like to be with a guy that might actually know his way around a girl's body.

Anything to help her forget the pain she has experienced on and off for the last year or so.

Jason knew desperation when he felt it and something in the back of his mind was screaming that this was wrong. She was flying through the buttons on his shirt, but this wasn't desperation for orgasm or for sex. It was something else. Something wasn't quite right. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, staring down at her breathlessly, trying to get some semblance of control.

"Chloe, hold on. What's bringing this on?"

"Does it really matter? I want you." and she raised her hips, nudging against his obvious erection behind his jeans, "And you want me. What's the problem?"

"The problem is... I know you well enough to know that this isn't like you. I mean, don't get me wrong, I would love to take you up on what you're offering, but I just want to be sure that you're not going to accuse me of rape tomorrow, or that you'll regret it when it's over." Jason narrowed his eyes and gritted out, "Or maybe I'm a substitute for Clark?"

Chloe shook her head, "I want **you** Jason. Clark is in the past. And I thought we made a pact not to discuss him, or Lana."

"You're right, we did." he closed his eyes to gain more control of his body, but it was awful hard with her squirming underneath him. "Chloe, have you done this before?"

"Once in my entire life... and the poor guy didn't know what he was doing either."

Jason's eyes popped open in surprise, "You have been with a guy only once? Ever?"

She nodded.

He released her wrists and propped his upper body on his elbows, his lower half still pressed against her warmth. His resolve was crumbling by the second and while he could still work a few brain cells, he had to make a few points clear with her. He grabbed her head in his hands, making her look at him, "Chloe, if I agree to do this, first I want to make sure this is really what you want. I can't guarantee any long term relationships. My mom and I..." for a moment Jason's eyes flashed, then he clamped the thought of his mom and what she makes him do out of his mind, She had no place here! "We move around a lot. I can't even guarantee that I'll still be here next week, or next month." A thumb reached out and stroked her bottom lip as he whispered huskily, "You're worth a lot more than a one night stand, and I want you to know that's not what this is to me, in my heart... It's simply that no matter how much I want it to be different, I can't guarantee more than tonight. If you understand that, and that's okay with you, then we can continue. Tell me right now, before I hit a point of no return. The longer we do this tonight, the harder it will be to stop later."

She was stroking his chest through the opened shirt and she smiled, "Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"Understood. Now... take me."

With a relieved groan, he lowered his head to kiss her again and he couldn't help but rock himself against her heated core. Even through clothing, it felt incredible. Chloe peeled the shirt off of him, which he helped shrug off and threw on the floor. Then Jason reached between them, untied the knot to Chloe's robe and pulled the panels apart.

His mouth traveled down her throat, nipping and licking along the way, then he proceeded over her collarbone and lower to the V in the tank top, his mouth between her breasts. His hands were at the sides of her breasts, not cupping them yet, but drawing out the anticipation of when he would. He continued licking and lightly biting the area exposed above her tank top. Then both thumbs reached out, and his thumbnails gently scraped across her aroused nipples, making her jump as if she had been shocked. He raised up to watch her as his thumbs circled her nipples and then flicked them back and forth a few times.

Watching her moan and close her eyes, he asked, "You like that, huh?" She nodded, unable to speak. He did it again a few more times, then lowered his head, taking a nipple into his mouth, and through the tank top, he nibbled and sucked on one nipple while using his thumb to play with it's twin.

His hips ground into hers again, she rose to meet him. He began setting a rhythm that was as natural as breathing for him. He couldn't stop now if he wanted to, and he prayed she wouldn't call a halt to it. He now lifted her tank top and got his first glimpse of her braless breasts. They were perfect handfuls. Not too small and not too big, Cupping one, he realized it fit in his hand perfectly.

He squeezed gently while still dry humping against her in a steady rhythm. He stroked her breast a few times, watching her carefully, then leaned down to suck the nipple into this mouth. With his tongue and teeth on her breast, he could tell Chloe was very close to orgasm.

Now he dared to slide his hand between them, pulling his hips away from her a little bit as his thumb reached underneath the waistband of her sweat pants, under the silky panties that he was dying to see, and will eventually... he found her clit with his thumb. He flicked it back and forth, then mimicking the move with his tongue on her breast.

He continued this torture until he could feel her getting close to orgasm. He wanted to last a while and didn't want her to get off too quickly.

That's it. There's no turning back now. Determined, he stood quickly and slowly pulled her pants down and off her legs, revealing the red silk panties she wore that was already showing a wet spot that he caused. He met her eyes, smiled at her and bent down, keeping a knee on the couch, the other foot on the floor for balance, he kissed his way down to her stomach, stopping at her navel to suck and nip there.

"I want to touch you too Jason." Chloe said, but keeping her hands in his hair to guide him.

He looked up, giving her a smile of such promise and just said, "Later." then continued kissing a path down her body. He skirted the area that she obviously wanted him to kiss or touch the most, he continued down as he kissed and licked the hipbone, the sensitive crease in her thigh then down to her inner thigh, spreading her legs as he went.

He looked up and watched her face as he slipped two fingers underneath the crotch of her panties and testing her wetness. She was completely soaked. All for him!

"God Chloe!" Jason bit his lip and watched Chloe's reactions. "You are so fucking hot."

He tugged on the panties and she helped him pull them off. When she laid exposed to him, he knelt on the floor, placed one of her legs on the back of the couch, the other hooked over his shoulder and he murmured, "I have got to taste you Chlo'."

"Sounds good to me!" she answered breathlessly.

"Watch me Chloe. I want to watch you as I make you feel good."

Jason began with a tentative lick starting at her entrance and back up, then flicking her clit back and forth with his tongue. Her hands gripped his hair and she whimpered, but didn't stop watching.

This time he opened his mouth over the top portion of her pussy, sucked in the clit and at the same time, moved his tongue over it in quick flicks, back and forth.

Chloe was such a responsive woman, it would give any guy a swelled ego. Jason enjoyed her taste and her responsiveness, going by her cues regarding when to speed up and when to slow down.

"Oh, God yes!" Chloe naturally ground herself against his mouth. No guy has ever done this for her. She always imagined how this might feel, but Jason was far surpassing what she expected.

Especially when he carefully inserted a finger within her, crooked it up toward her belly button and gently probed until Chloe's reaction told him he found her G-spot. Once he got that figured out, he went back to slowly licking her clit, once in a while he would suck it into his mouth, let it go, then start over, while at the same time he would insert his finger, stroke gently up to that spot and withdraw.

"Chloe, you taste awesome." Hetold her as he kissed her pubic bone and met her eyes in all seriousness, his finger still slowly stroking in and out of her, too gently to let her climax, but just enough to keep her on the brink. "I could do this all night."

That really sounded good to Chloe. She has in times past got herself off, and that was the only orgasms she ever experienced. Her one other sexual experience was awkward and fumbling... and it hurt.

Nothing about this experience was hurtful or painful. She could feel from way deep inside her that Jason was going to make her body feel things she probably never quite experienced.

He kept his licks teasing and gentle, slowly driving her mad. He could tell when she was about ready to cum and he stopped, grinned wickedly at her as he stood and boldly began to unbuckle his belt, unbutton and unzip his jeans, then lowered jeans and boxers to the floor, kicking them out of the way. He was glad he kicked off his shoes earlier while they were watching the movie. At least they weren't in his way.

Chloe raised up and while watching Jason, she shrugged off the robe and pulled the tank top over her head and onto the floor. Then she sat on the edge of the couch, Jason's cock was right in front of her. She gulped. He was a little above average in size, and she could see a little bit of clear liquid beading at the top.

Surprising Jason, she reached out with her hand, grasped him at the base of his cock and brought the head to her mouth. Jason's eyes widened as she licked circles around the head. His breath hissed out of his teeth.

"I thought I said something about you touching me later." Jason ground out. His hands were holding Chloe's head. He didn't know if it was for balance or for encouragement... or both.

Chloe knew Jason would be the type to want control in the bedroom, but he was allowing her this anyway, allowing her to give him pleasure as well. She smiled, "I just want you to feel how you made me feel."

She licked the head again and he gasped. She stopped, concerned at the sound. "Am I doing this right?"

"Hell yes! It's perfect."

Pleased, she brought the head of his penis into her mouth and sucked on it like she would a straw, but circling her tongue over him at the same time. His knees almost gave out at the sensation. He allowed her to continue a few seconds more until he pulled back, stopping her.

"Chlo', you're too damn good at that. And I want this to last a little longer."

He bent down and kissed her on the lips again, she tasted herself on his tongue and he tasted himself on hers. He reached out for his jeans, raised his head long enough to fish out a condom. Her hand on his wrist stopped him.

"I'm on the Pill." she told him. "You don't have any diseases I need to worry about do you?"

"No... you?"

"Nope."

Hot damn! Throwing down the condom, he parted her legs and said, "Where the hell have you been all my life, Chloe?"

"Right under your nose." she responded.

"God I've been so stupid!"

Pleased at his words, she helped guide him inside her. He stretched out above her as he slid inside. It wasn't easy, she was so tight, almost like a virgin. But of course if her last experience was two years ago, that would explain why she's so tight.

He started out carefully and slowly until he was fully inside her. He made himself stop, lowering his forehead on her shoulder to gain some control of himself. His body was just dying to set a hard pace, but he knew that right now was not the time for that. He waited for her to adjust to him, adjust to his size. Then he raised his head, kissed her boldly and withdrew then slid back inside of her.

She raised her hips to meet him and they began moving in tandem. She hooked her legs over his hips for better access, her arms moved under his arms as she hugged him to her. She stroked his back, stroked her hands down and eventually grabbed his ass, squeezing.

He lifted his head, kissed a path to her ear. He nibbled the lobe and even found a sensitive spot that seemed to make her hotter, on her neck just below her ear. He sucked on that spot and began to set a faster pace as she encouraged him.

The pace was getting a little faster and Jason raised his body up toward the arm rest a few inches, changing the angle to where every stroke in or out brushed across her clit. Chloe closed her eyes. That was a stroke of brilliance, she thought, and she could feel herself about to cum.

"Look at me damn it! Don't you dare..." he thrust again, teeth clenched, and then thrust again, a moment of jealousy overtaking him. "Don't you dare... think of **him**... open your eyes."

Her eyes flashed open at his command to see him above her, now fucking her in a hard and fast rhythm. He was reaching some place deep inside of her as she moaned and kept her eyes on him.

"Jason!" she cried out as she was about to cum. "Oh God!" I'm almost...there!"

It was tempting to speed up, but he kept the speed and strength exactly the same. He knew from experience that if you switch up the tempo on a girl, sometimes she loses the orgasm she was heading toward.

She gripped his ass again, digging her nails in and hoping she wasn't hurting him too much. "More... Oh yes... ohhhh!"

Then he could feel her inner muscles spasming around his cock and she cried out, keeping eye contact and cumming for him, the deepest, most satisfying orgasm he had ever experienced.

It was probably the most beautiful sight Jason had ever seen as he kept the same thrusting pace until he milked her orgasm out completely. He finally allowed himself to let go and his hips stuttered in rhythm, then slammed inside her on a loud groan as he came inside her as well.

They were both sweaty and panting, Jason had collapsed on top of Chloe until he felt her squirming underneath him.

"Air!. Can't breathe!"

"Sorry!" he mumbled and maneuvered them to where they laid spooning each other on the couch, he in the back, Chloe in front of him, his arm was her pillow.

"Wow, that was..."

"Incredible!" Jason finished for her, sounding sleepy. "Amazing. Fucking fabulous. Choose your adjective, it doesn't begin to describe it!"

She turned her head to where she could look back at him. "Will you stay the night?"

"Um... won't your parents mind?"

A look of pain flashed across her face and then she quickly removed it. Jason saw it though, and frowned, wondering what that was about. She shrugged, "They won't know. Um... they've gone on a second honeymoon until next week."

Jason didn't believe her. He could spot a liar a mile away, and Chloe was definitely lying. But why? He nodded, "Uh huh... okay... I just don't want your dad coming after me with a shotgun, alright?"

"No worries there."

He smiled down at her. He'll question her another time if he gets a chance, just not right now.

He kissed the tip of her nose, "Okay. I'll stay."

She pushed up onto her elbows and smiled, "Good! Let's move this to my bedroom. I have a queen size bed that would be a whole lot more comfortable."

His chest swelled, happiness on a magnitude he'd never known filling him. He was certain that no woman has ever made him happier. He smiled back, taking her hand as she pulled herself off of the couch, "Right behind you sweetheart!"


	9. Chapter 9

**(I am posting two chapters at once so be sure to read Chapters 9 and 10. I love all the reviews I have received so far. Please read and review! Thank you all!)**

While Jason spent the night with Chloe in Smallville, Lionel was being escorted into the Teague penthouse parlor. The butler was silent the entire ride up the elevator, and didn't bother to inquire after his beverage preferences before shutting the parlor doors behind him and leaving Lionel alone.

Usually, Lionel Luthor was not a man to be kept waiting, but he knew Genevieve Teague would have him cooling his heels purposely, just to get the upper hand. He was experienced enough to recognize it, and although it grated, he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing his annoyance.

He walked around the parlor and admired the expensive artifacts that decorated the room. No doubt from her travels while trying to obtain the stones of power.

There was a picture on the mantel, an 8" x 10" of Genevieve and Jason. It was a formal picture with Genevieve sitting as regal as a queen, back straight in a formal gown and Jason standing next to her in a tuxedo, a hand on her shoulder, practically daring the cameraman to take his picture.

Lionel snickered at the attitude in Jason's stance. He and Lex had a few pictures taken similar to this, publicity shots for Luthorcorp. Although he knew Genevieve was the type to simply have a picture done for bragging rights.

_Poor kid_, Lionel thought as he stared at Jason's likeness, shaking his head. The true nature of Genevieve's twisted, incestuous relationship with her son was well known to the elder Luthor. It disgusted him that the woman had taken such a brilliant mind and drew such pleasure out of transforming him into a monster.

Lionel almost wished he would have known what Genevieve was doing to the boy when it started. He could have taken him in, trained him as he had trained Lex. Jason was incredibly smart and resourceful. He would have become a businessman to be reckoned with. He hoped for Jason's sake that one day he could break free from his mother's hold and move on to his full potential.

The butler brought in a bottle of wine and explained it was requested by Ms. Teague. He offered to pour some for Lionel and he accepted. Once poured and re-corked, Lionel watched the butler leave.

This was his chance!

Lionel made sure no one was coming as he uncorked the bottle, pulled out a vial of amber liquid and poured the contents into the bottle, swishing the bottle a bit to mix. Then he re-corked the bottle and sipped his own drug free wine.

Genevieve finally arrived, about 45 minutes late. She smiled insincerely, "Good evening Lionel. I apologize for the wait."

She walked to the bar and he picked up the wine bottle and pretended to read the label for the first time.

"1961 Pinot?" Lionel hands the bottle to Genevieve, "I am honored."

Genevieve smiled back discreetly. She poured her glass of wine and topped off his, "Well...I have reason to believe I have cause to celebrate."

Lionel's tone was almost flirtatious, "Don't all my visits deserve to be celebrated, Genevieve?"

She passed Lionel his glass and answered with a shrug, "Some more than others." She stepped closer to Lionel, her body millimeters from his as she looked up into his eyes and asked in a seductive whisper, "Do you have something for me?"

He winked at her and answered, "Oh, I most certainly do." Lionel smiled and they touched glasses, the fine crystal ringing in accompaniment with his toast. "To the resolution of both our problems."

Genevieve took a sip of her wine, Lionel only pretended to. Once he saw that she was drinking hers, he smiled, turned from her and walked to other side of room. He studied over the pictures on the fireplace mantel again and he kept his back to her.

"Parenthood..." he began, looking at the picture of Genevieve and Jason as he continued, "It's an interesting phenomenon, isn't it?"

Lionel heard Genevieve cough and choke behind him and he watched her in the reflection of the mirror behind the fireplace. In satisfaction, he watched as she grabbed her throat suddenly and began choking and struggling to breathe. She dropped her wineglass and it shattered on the floor by her feet. Lionel placed his own wineglass on the mantle and turned to her. He stalked toward her, much like a panther before jumping in for the kill. He showed no emotion over her struggles to breathe and he spoke conversationally to her, like they're still having a pleasant chat.

"The lengths we go to, to protect our children." He smirked while Genevieve gasped for breath. She collapsed to the floor at Lionel's feet, her hands clasped around her throat, eyes bulging. Lionel simply raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "No limits."

Her mouth opened and closed, like a fish out of water and it was some time before she could speak, and even then the words were halting, grating as though they were being forced past a great blockage in her throat. "Wha? Did this... to me? _**Oh!"**_

Lionel stood over her, liking the advantage of watching one of his greatest enemies struggle at his feet, liking the fact that he had the upper hand. He gave her a quiet and deadly warning. "The wine you just drunk will kill you in a matter of minutes. I'm told the pain will be excruciating. So how about a trade? You give me the stone you stole from Bridgette Crosby..." He reached into his inside pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a blue vial and waving it slightly, smiling smugly, "and I'll give you the antidote."

Genevieve desperately reached out for the vial, but as Lionel squatted next to her, he kept it just out of her reach. He raised a finger as an afterthought, "Oh, and one more thing. You go anywhere near my son and anything that happens to him, happens to you. Is that understood?"

Genevieve nodded emphatically, tears in her eyes from her struggle. Lionel waved the antidote tauntingly, just out of her reach and demanded, "The stone, Genevieve. Where is it?"

* * *

The next morning, the song "Back in Black" by Black Sabbath woke Jason from a sound slumber. Groaning, he thought briefly about answering his cell, where the music was originating, but his companion sighed contentedly, burrowing farther into her pillow. It eventually stopped and he rolled over to snuggle against the woman in the bed. He decided whoever it was could leave a voicemail.

He tried to go back to sleep and he kept his arm around the waist of his bed partner. Something tickled his nose, making him want to sneeze... Popping one eye open, then two, he raised up to see who it was, still half-asleep. The blonde headed girl shifted again, murmuring, exposing her face, flushed with sleep. Upon seeing Chloe's face it all came back to him and he grinned like the Cheshire cat before he lay back down.

This was a first for him: the first time he ever spent the night with a woman, except for- again Jason purposely pushed _that woman_ from his mind.

And then his cell phone rang again on the nightstand. Getting irritable, he muttered, "Son of a bitch!" and then turned over, grabbed his phone, saw the number on the caller ID and flipped it open. Not caring how he sounded, he barked, 'What the hell do you want?"

He noticed Chloe begin to stir, and he winced at how loud his voice was and it might have woke her up. He whispered into the phone, "Hold on a minute." He made sure Chloe was still asleep before he got out of bed, quietly walked out of the bedroom, and headed down the hall to the living room. He gathered his clothes as he got back on the phone, and hissed angrily into the phone, "Lionel did what?"

Genevieve was still hoarse but she told him, "Lionel Luthor forced me to give up our stone, Jason! He poisoned me!"

Jason rolled his eyes. _For the love of_..."And how did he manage that, Mother? No one I know can force you to do anything."

"He tried to kill me! He poisoned my wine somehow."

"Trust me Mother, if he wanted to kill you, he would have succeeded." His mother sighed, snapping the fragile hold he had on his temper. Briefly his mind flashed back to the night he'd had, and the beautiful woman asleep one door away. It made his voice sharper than he intended. "So what do you expect me to do now?" He cradled his cell phone between his ear and shoulder and was putting on his boxers, then his jeans.

"I already have a hired hand I completely trust to get Lionel for me. But I need you to do something for me as well."

"And that is?" Jason wanted her to get to the point as he shrugged into his shirt.

"I need you to kidnap Lex and bring him to the hunting cabin. I don't care how you do it, but I want him alive."

"Mother, will you let me in on exactly _**why**_ Lex needs to be kidnapped? What did Lex ever do to you?"

"Because my dear son... Lionel will never give that stone up willingly. unless his only son and heir is threatened with harm. Come now Jason... don't you want to get back at Lex for how he set you up in China?"

Jason gnashed his teeth at the memory, his jaw ticking. He found out that Lex had paid the Chinese to kidnap them and torture Jason for information. However, they had turned on Lex and tortured both of them, and then Lana was inadvertently brought in and she was electrocuted as well... until Isabel showed up again and took care of the problem. All because Lex Luthor's scheme went south and put them all in danger.

He had had many thoughts regarding how and when to torture Lex Luthor and exactly how he wanted it done. He hated the man more than words could say. His stupidity should be punished. Only a complete idiot tried to set up Jason Teague and anticipated getting away with it.

The thought of finally getting a chance to get back at Lex put a smile on his face, "Mother, don't worry. Just leave it to me."

He flipped the phone closed and stood in the middle of the living room, his shirt still open as he tapped the phone antenna against his bottom lip while he was thinking... thinking about the best way to get Lex from Point A, which was his castle, to Point B, which was their cabin.

"Jason?" Chloe had a sheet around her, her hair sticking out everywhere and she yawned, placing a hand over her mouth as she did. He turned toward her, smiling when he caught sight of her. In his mind, she looked like an angel with her halo of blond hair and wrapped in a white sheet. Or maybe a Venus statue would be more accurate; he doubted angels had such beautiful bodies.

He flipped back into caring lover mode in an instant. He wanted to keep Chloe out of the messes he dealt with regarding his mother. Chloe was like a breath of fresh air to him, and made him forget for just a little while what his mother was grooming him for.

"Good morning, Chloe." He smiled and walked toward her, placing his cell phone in his shirt pocket. He bent down and kissed her. He really liked the way she looked and felt at this moment, all sleep rumpled and warm and just plain sexy in that sheet.

She moaned into his mouth, he moaned back and said against her lips, almost whining, "_Please _tell me you're ready for another round!"

"I wish!" She gave one final kiss and tried to push him away gently, "But I have to get to school."

He pulled her against him, making her feel his arousal underneath his jeans, smiling wickedly at her intake of breath. He continued kissing her and began walking her back toward the bedroom, Between kisses, he exclaimed, "Ah! I see... but you're a senior and you have one week left of school." He nibbled a path down her neck and asked, "What are they going to do if you're late? Detention is really no big deal anymore is it? And besides..." he kissed her senseless again on the mouth, walking her back toward the bed. "Wouldn't you like to show up at school with a huge satisfied smile on your face?"

He pulled the sheet away from her, and she didn't resist... Submission was sounding better and better by the moment. She truly never thought sex would be so...spectacular. But Jason proved to her how her body could react when manipulated just right.

He found that spot just below her ear again and she turned to mush and groaned, "Fine! But it has to be a quickie!"

Jason snorted, "Silly girl, you don't know me at all do you?" He pushed her down on the bed, causing her to bounce and laugh as he stripped off his pants again, dropping them on the floor, leaving his shirt and boxers on for the time being. He quickly climbed on the bed after her, "In a few minutes you are not going to care what time it is, you'll just want me to fuck you senseless."

And he began to prove his point, causing Chloe to miss homeroom completely.

* * *

Jason sat in his car, loading a tranquilizer gun with quiet determination. He heard the click when he was finished and he got out, placing the gun in the small of his back, tucked into his waistband. He walked in the doors like he was supposed to be there and strode purposely to the library, where he knew Lex conducted all of his business transactions.

Most of the staff probably believed Jason still worked for Lex, and he hoped it would appear so and no one be the wiser. He quietly opened one of the double doors of the library and listened carefully. He heard Lex in the upstairs loft of the library. Quietly, Jason crept in, closed the door and locked it. Then he began to climb the staircase to the loft, hearing Lex talk to someone on the phone.

Jason stayed out of sight and watched Lex. He was pacing his library and talking on his cell phone, looking really agitated.

"Luthorcorp is the executor of those caves, we can do any excavation work we want to down there!" Lex barked into the phone.

Jason stepped out from his hiding place and Lex turned, seeing Jason and not looking the least bit happy to see him. Irritated at the intrusion, Lex snapped into the phone, "I'll have to call you back." Before closing his phone and glaring at Jason.

Lex's tone was cold, "I thought we concluded our business?"

Jason only stood about eight feet in front of Lex. He met Lex's eyes, pulled the tranquilizer gun out of his waistband, lifted his hand, aimed and pulled the trigger. The tranquilizer dart hit Lex in the neck and he fell to his knees in shock, then passed out.

Jason looked down at Lex coldly and answered the question that Lex had asked with a cold smile.

"Almost."


	10. Chapter 10

**(For those that started with the 10th chapter, I have posted chapters 9 and 10 on the same day. Be sure to read both. And please review and respond! I love knowing someone loves my stories as much as I love writing them.)**

Lex awoke with a pounding headache. He wondered if he had fallen asleep in his desk chair, and then realized he couldn't move his hands or legs. Confused, he opened his eyes and looked down at his hands, tugging on his bindings. He tested his legs also and felt that his ankles were somehow tied to the legs of the chair.

He took a deep breath and sighed. _Great! Just fucking fantastic!_

Lex began to take stock of his surroundings. There was a moose head hanging over a fireplace, a gun rack against a far wall and he could see a figure by the fireplace, but couldn't quite make him out in the dark. He tried to struggle to get out of the bonds again and couldn't. Lex realized he was in some kind of rustic hunting cabin.

Then his eyes adjusted to the dimness and he finally figured out who was sitting by the fireplace. His father.

Lionel sat in a similar chair across the room. Lex's eyes narrowed suspiciously on his father. The last thing Lex remembered was Jason shooting him with what was obviously a tranquilizer dart. And now his dad is here, which made Lex think that his father planned this. "Guess I should have trusted my instincts." He leaned forward and spat hatefully at Lionel, "I knew you were working for Jason!"

Lionel scoffed and motioned to his own bound hands as he remarked dryly. "Judging from the fact that ten minutes ago I lost all feeling in my hands, you have a very curious definition of collaboration, Lex."

Lex squinted in the dark cabin and looked closer. He saw blood on Lionel's shirtfront and for the first time, he noted that Lionel was similarly bound like he was. What could Jason possibly want with the two of them?

Whatever it was, it didn't bode well for the Luthor family!

* * *

Jason drove his mother to the hunting cabin. Parking the car and turning off the ignition, he sat behind the wheel debating within himself. The Luthors were dangerous enemies. If Lionel and Lex survived this, he and his mother will become Luthor enemy numbers one and two.

Genevieve placed her hand on Jason's thigh and he gripped the steering wheel and clenched his teeth. He wanted to tell his mother to get her fucking hands off him, but this job will be worth a whole lot more money than he could embezzle in a lifetime, so he allowed it.

Which meant allowing her to treat him like her own personal blow up doll.

_God! How he hated her!_

"Jason, darling..." Jason shot at look at his mother that would remind anyone of the phrase, "If looks could kill"... Genevieve stroked his thigh and Jason gritted his teeth and continued to grip the steering wheel. His mother certainly knew how to keep him compliant and money talked. She showed what would look like concern, but Jason knew better.

"Second thoughts, darling?" she asked.

Jason said nothing, just ground his teeth together and turned to stare out the windshield.

"Jason, Lionel is getting in the way of our dream."

"No, Mother." He turned back to face her and glared daggers at her, "It's your dream, not mine."

"It's your legacy, Jason. Passed down from centuries ago. The stones of power belonged to our ancestors and Isabel got in the way. That's why I had you get close to Lana because we both knew she was the direct descendant of Marguerite Isabel Thoreau and our link to those stones."

"If it were up to me, I'd let you have all the stones and leave me the hell out of it."

Genevieve sighed, "Jason, I thought we agreed on this and now you're backing out on me? You went through all this trouble with Lana. You had her touch the tombstone in Paris and you watched her as Isabel marked her with the tattoo. Between the two of us, we got her back to her apartment and she has no idea we had anything to do with Isabel."

Genevieve watched Jason's reactions carefully. "Now she is of no consequence and you've done right in moving on. We have the Luthors to deal with now. Once that is done, we'll at least have two of the stones. All we need is one more."

"Yeah, and we'll discover powers and knowledge far beyond anything we've ever known." Jason said sarcastically, "It's a nice bedtime story, Mother, but I think you're chasing a foolish dream."

"Either way Jason..." Genevieve smiled and patted his knee, "They're very valuable. And if you help me, you'll be handsomely rewarded. Now... let's go in and get to work. I'll let you have the first go at Lex when the time is right."

The Teagues entered the hunting cabin, first Genevieve in a long expensive mink coat and jewelry fit for a queen, and Jason followed her in expensive jeans, shirt and jacket. He closed the door behind them. Lionel smiled at their entrance and remarked with his usual dry wit, "Ah! Genevieve!" Lionel nods toward Jason, "And the dutiful son! The Oedipal bond has a way of... 'flourishing' when it's fed, hm?"

Lionel watched the flash in Jason's eyes at the dig from Lionel. Lionel felt smug. _Now he knows that I know their relationship_, he thought. Lionel was pretty sure that Jason would be the weak link between mother and son and he'll try his best to work it to his advantage.

Lionel grinned at Lex, winked, then asked, "Right Lex?"

Lex snickered knowingly, and Lionel knew in that moment that Lex knew as well about the Teagues and their sick relationship. In anger, Genevieve backhanded Lionel across the face, causing him to give his head a shake. Then he smirked at Genevieve like it didn't hurt a bit.

Lionel watched Jason out of the corner of his eye as he walked behind him, apparently staring out the window. Lionel made sure to keep an eye on Jason as well. He was at the perfect spot to simply put a bullet in the back of his head. But Lionel was pretty sure they would keep him alive at least until they find the stones he had possession of.

He couldn't help but wonder what they had in mind bringing Lex here? And he really didn't want to find out.

Genevieve Teague was not someone to mess around with, but Lionel Luthor could dish out far worse than the Teagues ever could imagine. Genevieve bent down and got in Lionel's face. "Lionel, the stones were just a hobby for you!" She grabbed his chin hard and hissed, "But I didn't search all these years just to reach a stalemate!" She released his chin and stood, looking down at him.

Lionel's attention was diverted by Lex, who called out to Jason, "You're making a big mistake, Jason." Jason glared at Lex from his vantage point by the window. Lionel watched Lex with amusement as Lex taunted, "I know she's your mother, but don't think for a second that she won't turn on you. Trust me on this one."

_Bravo!_ Lionel thought, mentally cheering Lex on. _Get him where it hurts son! Good for you!_

Genevieve saw the flash of anger in her son's eyes and she asked in concern, "Jason?"

Lionel turned to look at Jason to see his reaction, and he saw that Jason had placed a figurative mask over himself, hiding his emotions as he shrugged. "It's okay, Mother." Jason glared at Lex as he remarked, "I don't expect him to understand the meaning of family loyalty. Especially when the only thing running through the Luthor blood ...is betrayal."

Jason looked down at Lionel, pulled out his Glock 45 and pressed it against Lionel's temple.

Lionel gulped and realized Jason was now talking to him, "Now, we want the stone you stole from us."

Lionel met Lex's eyes and saw his surprise. Genevieve noticed the exchange and remarked, "Yes, Lex. Your father has one of these stones."

Lionel and Lex stared at each other. Lionel could see the wheels turning in his son's head, and Lex spoke to Genevieve for the first time since she arrived.

Lex shrugged, "So what's this got to do with me?"

Genevieve walked over to Lex, looking him over like he was a piece of meat. Genevieve believed herself to be irresistible to every man she happened across, and her tastes ran more toward younger men, such as himself... and her son. She was a beautiful woman once, anyone could tell that, but now she just looked twisted and ugly.

Genevieve lightly caressed Lex's cheek and he pulled his head back from her touch in disgust, "I have the feeling your father would sooner die than give up that stone. But..." Genevieve tapped Lex on the nose lightly, "All that might change if his own flesh and blood were at stake."

Lex snorted derisively as he looked over to his father, then back to Genevieve.

"You obviously don't know my father as well as I do."

Genevieve looked over at Lionel thoughtfully as Jason kept the gun trained on Lionel. A look passed between mother and son, then she turned back to Lex and murmured, "For your sake... I hope you're wrong."

Genevieve turned to her son, "I don't think Lionel will tell us anything Jason. At least, not yet." Jason removed the gun and tucked it in the back waistband of his jeans.

Genevieve continued, "So, I guess this means we move on to Plan B."

Plan B? Lionel thought, watching Jason pull a poker from a rack next to the fireplace and thrust it into some hot coals. Lionel tried not to show fear, but he wondered who was going to be on the receiving end of that hot poker.

If it was meant for him, he could handle it. He'd been through worse down through time. He almost hoped it was him. Lex was tough, but he didn't want his only son scarred by these wackos.

* * *

Jason pulled the hot poker from the fireplace, the tip glowing fiery red. Genevieve took her place next to Lionel as Jason walked over to Lex, smiling. Lex's eyes widened in fear.

_Good!_ Jason thought. _Be afraid! Be __**very **__afraid!_

Jason waved the poker menacingly in front of Lex, enjoying the play of panic in Lex's eyes. This was what Jason loved the most about torture. The rush of power and adrenaline it gives you. To have the great Lex Luthor and the even greater Lionel Luthor at their mercy was beyond anything he could imagine. It aroused something primal in him to the nth degree.

Jason bent down to Lex's eye level. Their eyes meet, Jason's eyes were determined and Lex seemed to be preparing himself for what was about to come. Jason lowered the poker and poked Lex hard in his shoulder, burning him severely and making him cry out in pain. The smell of burning flesh was permeating the air. Lionel tried not to flinch as he watched Jason then do the same to Lex's other shoulder and Lex yelled out profanities at both Jason and Genevieve.

Genevieve yelled over Lex's screams, questioning Lionel, "_**Where... is... that... stone**_?"

Lex cried out in pain as Jason poked him yet again, this time on his chest. Lionel turned his head. It was too much for him to watch.

Genevieve pointed at Lex and yelled at Lionel, "Lionel, look at your son!" She grabbed Lionel's hair and gave it a yank, making him watch. "Despite what you want him to believe, I know you don't want to watch him die!"

Jason finally lifted away the poker. Lex was breathing hard, tears streaking down his face, mingling with the sweat. Pleased that his enemy seemed weaker than imagined, Jason turned to his mother expectantly, raising a brow at her. She walked over and took the poker from him.

Lionel's eyes widened now. There's no telling what that bitch would have in mind!

Genevieve motioned to her son, "Jason, darling."

Genevieve raised the poker with both hands and pointed it toward Lex's right eye. Lex cried out, "Fucking bitch!" as he tried to lean away from the poker that was getting closer and closer to his eye. Jason grabbed his head in both hands, using his own strength to keep Lex's head still.

The poker was getting closer and closer, millimeter by millimeter, and Lex braced himself, gripping the arms of the chair, knowing he was going to be blind in one eye from this point forward, "Oh_**! God**_!"

Lionel had had enough. This was insane! He cried out, "_Stop!_ _**Stop it!**_"

Genevieve pulled back the poker and turned back to Lionel, while Jason still held Lex's head still, also watching Lionel. Lex breathed a sigh of relief and looked over at his father. He couldn't move his head, but his eyes could move and could still see.

"Where is it?" Genevieve demanded, brandishing the poker.

Lionel sighed, relieved his son hadn't lost an eye, and his mind whirled, coming up with an idea. Impulsively he said, "I gave it to Lana!"

Jason let go of Lex's head in surprised shock while Genevieve obviously didn't believe a word of it. Lex yelled out, "Hell no! No way!"

Genevieve shook her head at Lionel, "You wouldn't trust anything that valuable to her!"

Lionel hated to see his son get this frantic, showing his weakness to his enemies. He watched Lex dart his eyes between the Teagues. He knew Lex's feelings for Lana Lang and that he would try to do what he could to save her. But he really wished that Lex would keep hidden those emotions.

"Lana has nothing to do with this!" Lex gritted out, tugging on his bonds again, trying to get out, even though the effort was futile.

Lionel met Genevieve's eyes, lying through his teeth to buy them time, "I did it for the same reason I gave her the map to the temple. She is the chosen one and we all know it!"

Lionel saw that Jason wasn't completely over his ex-girlfriend, because he pulled out his car keys from his jacket pocket and started to leave in a big hurry to find Lana. Genevieve stepped into his path, placing her hand on his, covering the car keys he was holding and stared into her son's eyes.

With quiet determination, she said, "Jason... I'll take care of Lana."

Lionel saw the struggle in Jason's eyes as he answered her, almost like a little boy. "You promised you wouldn't hurt her!"

Genevieve's voice sounded sympathetic, but Lionel knew she was just manipulating her son, "Has she ever shown you any gratitude, Jason? Lana has no idea how much you've been protecting her. And for what? For her to choose Clark over you?"

Jason looked a little shaken at his mother's words. Even Lionel could see he was fighting an inner battle when Genevieve stroked Jason's hand lovingly.

She whispered quietly, "You know that I would never betray you the way she has."

Jason's fingers went slack, and he was obviously feeling defeated as Genevieve took the keys from Jason's hand. She turned to leave as Jason paced back to the window, spearing his fingers through his hair in worry. His mother would show no mercy, but it was out of his hands now.

Then he decided to stoke the fire to give himself something to occupy his hands and mind.


	11. Chapter 11

Jason knelt down next to the fireplace after his mother left, stoking the flames and adding a log while Lionel and Lex looked on, still tied to their chairs.

Lionel spoke to Jason with fake sympathy, "I don't blame you for getting caught up in all this, Jason."

When Jason snorted, tossing a glare over his shoulder when Lionel chuckled under his breath. The young man whirled to face him, fists clenched. Lionel, ever the charmer, flashed an understanding smile. "Your mother, ooh." He shook his head and clucked his tongue, "She's a difficult woman to resist, isn't she?"

"You know this as much as anyone, Lionel." Jason retorted, "After all, you've visited her how many time this week?" Lionel didn't answer and Jason felt a tiny thrill of victory as Luthor's smug smile disappeared. "She has you by the balls too.

Lionel exchanged a look with Lex, hoping Lex would catch his signal and play along, "Hmm. Yet I'm not her puppet. Let's see..." Lionel pretended to think, "You were supposed to get close to Lana. That was apparently the plan. But what happened?"

Lionel shifted in his chair, forcing his mouth into a mocking smile, even as the bonds that held him chafed at his wrists. "Did you stray a little too far from those apron strings?"

Jason made a sound similar to a enraged bear, whirling on Lionel and grabbing up his pistol, pressing the barrel between Luthor's eyes. He enjoyed watching Lionel's eyes widen, and Lex shifted slightly in his chair. His finger twitched on the trigger. It would be so easy, Jason thought, as easy as breathing, to pull the trigger and be done with this ridiculous farce. But, his mother's desire for that damn stone stood between him and his desire to put one right between Lionel's eyes.

Calming himself as much as he could, Jason still spoke with his teeth clenched, lowering the gun a few scant inches. "You know, with all your resources, I would've thought by now you'd know that Lana is nothing more than my mother's pawn."

"Pawn?" Lionel asked, then he shrugged nonchalantly, "Well that's true but, a pawn you fell in love with."

Jason and Lionel were staring each other down as Lionel continued, watching Jason carefully, "It must be killing you that you've sacrificed your feelings for Lana in exchange for some..." Lionel winked, "Maternal warmth…"

Jason raised his gun again and pointed it at Lionel's chest. Lionel seemed unperturbed as he flashed a sardonic smile, "Maternal warmth that it seems you can't do without."

Lionel Luthor knew too damned much about his business! Hell! Who was he to judge? How would Mr. CEO handle it if his mother did the things Genevieve Teague did to him? Oh yeah! That's right, he'd kill her. Lionel already went to jail for that. And he seriously doubted Lionel didn't go through half the childhood traumas that he did. The people he has killed for "The Bitch", having been pimped out to some of her socialite old biddies that tried to use him to relive their youth.

Not to mention how many times he's buried the bodies his mother tortured or killed. You either had to suck it up or sit in the corner and cry. And he was damn sure not going to cry.

Jason's eyes narrowed as he quietly warned the older man, "If you know what's good for you, Luthor, you'll shut that fucking mouth. Remember where you are – who's mercy you should be courting. As for my mother…" He dropped the gun a few more strategic inches. "How Teagues conduct their business is no concern of yours."

The smug expression on Lionel's face goaded Jason's finger to twitch on the trigger. Oh, how he wanted to shoot. But, as time dragged on, the cabin filled with nothing but his ragged breathing and the crackling of the fire, Jason had to accept that he would not defy his mother in this. No matter how much he wanted to. There was a bigger picture here. Remembering the two million he was promised for this he made his decision. Baring his teeth on a snarl, Jason tucked the gun into the small of his back before stalking from the cabin, letting the door slam violently shut behind him in his anger.

Lex turned back to his dad and said sarcastically, "Makes us look like the Waltons, doesn't it?"

A soft chuckle escaped Lionel's mouth, but his eyes met his son's, dark with sincerity. "I'm sorry, Lex, I got you involved in all this. You may not believe me but I truly wish I were here alone."

Lex spent a moment collecting his thoughts, watching the flames dance within the hearth. "To be honest Dad, I'm glad you're here with me."

At Lionel's raised eyebrows, Lex smiled at him mischievously, "Now, knock that iron out of the fire, and get it as close to my chair as you can."

Lionel grinned back at his son and scooted his chair closer to the fire. Using his hand and shoulder, he knocked over the rack beside the fire, sending the shovel, and broom toppling to the floor. The racket this kicked up had Lionel peering back over his shoulder, but when he looked back, the poker that had been resting within the flames was on the floor, a foot away from Lex's chair.

Lex rocked his chair back and forth until he finally tipped over on his side, landing with the hot iron under the ropes binding his arm. He grimaced at the heat, but stayed where he was until the rope is burned of off his arm, setting one arm free. He moved the poker aside and began working on the bindings of his other arm and his legs.

Within five minutes, Lex was free, and was helping his father out of his own bindings. "Let's get the hell out of here," Lex suggested and with a shared smile, they exited the cabin, Lionel's eyes searching the dark for any sign of Jason. Lionel's eyes locked on Jason, arms full of firewood, before the pair of Luthors fled into the dark underbrush of the forest.

Shit!" Jason muttered as he dropped the firewood, pulled his gun out from his waistband and began giving chase.

His mother would have his balls on a platter!

When Jason topped a hill, he saw Lex and Lionel running side by side through the trees and dodging stumps and fallen logs. Jason aimed and pulled the trigger, cursing under his breath when it missed Lex by inches, smashing into a tree to the man's left, showering him and his father with splinters. They did not stop, forcing Jason to double his pace to keep them within sight.

Jason fired a second time, and this time he hit a tree just above Lionel's head. Lionel stumbled to a bit, but continued to run.

_Lionel's pretty fit for an old man_, Jason thought. _I may have to shoot to kill, to hell with what she wants._

Lex and Lionel made it to a thick tree and they hid behind the trunk, catching their breaths. Lex, breathing hard, tells his father, "We gotta split up." He pointed to the left and tells Lionel, "Go!" as Lex turned to the right and dashed through the woods.

Lionel saw the wisdom in Lex's idea and ran up a small hill in the direction Lex indicated. It was very steep, forcing Lionel to climb it on all fours, scraping up his hands and the soles of his designer shoes.. As he was getting closer to the top, he was pulling himself over a large log and stopped in stunned surprise as he came face to face with Jason who was standing at the top of the hill.

Jason pointed his gun in Lionel's direction as Lionel ducked behind the tree trunk he was trying to climb over. Jason fired, missing him on purpose. The bullet hit the tree trunk right in front of Lionel, and the shock made Lionel loosen his grip on the trunk, sliding down the hill. After rolling several times, Lionel landed on his back at the bottom of the hill. Jason walked to the trunk, looking down at Lionel's sprawled figure. He lifted his gun and took aim, breathing quietly, even as his blood jumped with the thought he was about to kill one of the most powerful men in the world.

Lionel remained still, eyes wide, having nowhere else to run.

As his finger tightened against the trigger, a sound to his left shattered his focus. Jason looked up in time to see Lex racing at him. Before he could react, Lex had hit him with a large tree branch, making Jason stumble and lose his grip on the pistol. Using the advantage of surprise, he hit Jason across the face with the branch and Jason fell down. Lex was about to hit Jason again, but Jason flung dirt in Lex's eyes. Lex gasped, blinking the dirt away which gave Jason a chance to run and get a head start.

Lex chased after him again, still holding the tree branch, and Jason was now without his gun with an angry Luthor on his tail.

They ran up another hill near a river and Jason stopped in his tracks when he realized he had reached a cliff. It was a steep drop off to the water about thirty feet below. He heard Lex clambering up the rocky slope, and his mind whirled frantically. Just how would he get out of this? He turned when Lex came into view, lifting his hands in surrender. Lex lifted the branch making Jason wave his hands frantically.

"Whoa! Wait! Lex, don't do this, man! Don't do this!"

Lex stopped and Jason blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair. From the look on Lex's face he wasn't too keen on giving him a chance to speak. "Come on, look at me. Look at me!" When he knew he had Lex's undivided attention, he spoke swiftly. "You and I, we're not that different, Lex. It was never about you and me. It was about our parents. They have both used us as puppets in their little chess game to get those stupid stones."

The truth struck Lex, and he lowered the branch, but kept his guard up, in case this was a trick. If his experience had taught him anything, it was Teagues would do what was necessary to get their way. "I always knew I had to protect Lana from you."

Jason gave Lex a knowing look, "C'mon Lex. Not as much as you've been protecting your best friend, huh?" Lex looked confused until Jason clarified, "Clark? "

Lex pointed the branch at Jason in warning, "Clark doesn't have anything to do with this!"

Jason rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Oh, c'mon Lex, you don't believe that. You know as well as I do. Clark's more connected to this than any of us. You just choose to ignore it."

Something in Lex's eyes made Jason think he'd gotten through to the other man."I mean, think about it Lex... the symbols burned into the Kent barn? The fields? Clark is the key!"

Lex shook his head, "It's a little late to be shifting the blame in the eleventh hour, Jason."

Jason was beginning to panic, knowing that if he didn't convince Lex to let him go, he was a goner. "Why can't you see what's right in front of your face, Lex? It's Clark. He's— "

There was a gunshot and a bullet hit Jason in the shoulder. Lex turned around Loinel was standing with Jason's gun in his hand, smoke curling out from the barrel. The force of the bullet entering his body sent Jason off balance, stumbling backwards. He only managed a small yelp when his feet lost purchase on the rocks and he tumbled back into the water, the splash of his body muted by the distance of the fall. Lex dropped the tree branch, still not believing what he just witnessed, staring down the cliff where Jason had landed in the river.

Lionel walked up next to Lex to look over the cliff as well, "He was... about to kill you, Lex."

Lex turned on Lionel, eyes narrowed, "Or divulge something you didn't want me to know."

Lionel shook his head and sighed, "Lex, you saved my life back there. I was returning the favor, son."

"I had no choice. I know you have that stone, Dad." In a fit of frustrated anger, Lex grabbed Lionel's shirt threateningly, shook Lionel and hissed, "If anything happens to Lana because of your fixation on those stones, you'll be begging for an end like that."

Lex shoved his father away from him in disgust and stalked off into the forest.

* * *

The only light to be seen was the bright glow from the full moon, riding high in the sky. Jason, after coughing up what appeared to be two lungfuls of water, stared up at the moon and tried desperately to get his bearings. His upper body was jackknifed onto the shore, a rock digging in between his shoulder blade, and his lower half was submerged in the now placid waters of the river. He wiggled his toes, grateful when they moved in answer.

Notthing too damaged, it seemed.

Pain shot through his shoulder as he tried to pull himself out of the water. He gritted his teeth, cussing under his breath as he crab-walked farther back onto the bank, until the bottoms of his shoes were resting on the muddy shoreline, with the water barely lapping at his toes. His shoulder chose that moment to give out and he collapsed in the mud. thankful to be alive.

Nothing too damaged, but he definitely needed some kind of medical attention.

A thought entered and left his mind, pondering the wisdom of letting the Luthors believe they had emerged from the forest the victors – let them think that he was dead. But, he let the thought pass for the moment. Jason knew that despite having survived the fall, he very well could end up dead if he didn't get into some dry clothes and get his shoulder seen to.

Biting his tongue against the whimper of pain, Jason pushed himself to his feet, staggering a bit as he gained his footing on the gravelly shoreline. His shoulder throbbed mercilessly and his vision swirled, enough that he tumbled back to the ground on his first attempt. He took it much slower the second time and the wooziness from lack of blood was much easier to stomach. He looked up at the moon, did his best to gauge his positioning and headed North toward the highway.

He hoped.

He stumbled onto a small dirt path and followed it, clutching his shoulder. He shuffled his feet along in the dust, not caring that he was ruining his two-thousand dollar shoes. When he caught sight of buildings, he nearly gave a whoop of relief. He hurried forward as fast as he was able, toward the crossroads with a Feed-N-Seed on the cattycorner to where he was standing.

The pickup wasn't his first choice, but he noted its dingy appearance, faded blue paint that was almost grey and so rusted in spots it was a wonder the thing held together at all, but Jason was more enamored with the gun rack in the back. _God bless country folk_, Jason thought hurrying forward to the driver's side, and giving the door a testing yank. It came open easily. He slid into the driver's seat, ducking down behind the dashboard. It took him a few moments to access the wires in the steering column, but he took no time in cutting the ones he'd been after and stripping most of the sheaths away.

An old prep school trick that never ceased to come in handy.

He touched two wires together, causing sparks, and the truck cranked.

Using his good arm and hand, Jason put the truck in gear and spun out of the parking lot.

Chloe was standing in front of the door of Jason's dorm room, debating whether to knock or not.

She had been gone for two days because of dealing with Brendan and his tendency to turn people into frozen statues, trying to keep Smallville High running the way he wanted it to run .

Of course, Clark and Lois saved the day, getting her and Lana out of there, along with the other students that Brendan kidnapped from the "Most Likely" page of the yearbook.

At least the ones that had survived!

Chloe put a lot of thought into her attire, although she'd told herself that she was simply here to ask if Jason wanted to join her for dinner and a movie... she couldn't seem to find the courage to knock on his door. Just as she was lifting her hand to knock, the sound of heavy, labored footsteps reached her ears. Curious, she looked around, determining the steps were coming her way.

Always the reporter, Chloe followed the sound. She made it to the stairwell, where a tall young man dripped water and blood onto an aging carpet. He put one hand on the wall to steady himself, and left a bloody handprint as he swayed dangerously from side to side.

"Jason?" Chloe yelped as she ran to him and tried to catch him before he fell.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note - Further down in the chapter you will all notice some dialogue from Season 4 that I "borrowed". It's a long chapter but I hope it's worth the wait. As usual, please read and review! And a shout out to my beta reader AW Kizume for doing such a fantastic job! Thank you so much Kiz!**

* * *

Chloe's outburst arrived shortly before she did, her hand reaching out to touch his sweat-drenched face as he leaned against the wall beside the stairwell. He swayed backwards making her reach for him in alarm, "Jason!" She gripped his shoulder and he hissed painfully, jerking free of her grasp, trying hard not to react when her face paled at the sight of red blood smeared over her fingers.

Her eyes lifted to his, and he watched her lip tremble slightly. He wanted to reassure her. Say anything, to make that horrified light in her eyes go away, Instead he could only stand, on wobbly knees, swaying back and forth. She gripped his good hand and pulled him towards her. "We need to call an ambulance.

"No hospitals,." he whispered. His teeth chattered together, and she seemed to just realize how soaking wet, and cold his clothes were.

"You're crazy," Chloe objected. "Jason, I have to call an ambulance. I don't know what to do here!" He coughed violently, making her eyes widen and she hurriedly pulled him down the hall, moving to loop an arm around his waist when he began to stumble. His vision greyed and he tripped three more times before they made it to his apartment door.

"Where are your keys?" she demanded, reaching for her cell phone with the one while patting him down in search of the small silver key ring. Locating them in the left front pocket of his pants, and unashamedly reached in to grab them. His eyes met hers and a tired, but cheeky grin bloomed on his mouth.

"Oh hush," she muttered, turning around to stick the key into the deadbolt, while entering 9-1-1 on her cell. Before she could hit send, he'd grabbed the phone, and with surprising strength, given his blood loss, yanked the phone away from her, pressing the end button as he glared at her.

"No ... doctors. No medics. No hospitals. Do you understand me, Chlo'?" She stared at him blankly. "You need to understand, I _need_ you to understand me, Chloe."

"All right…" she stared at him in concern, he was blinking rapidly and she was worried the man wouldn't be able to remain upright for much longer. "I'm listening."

"Luthor…Lionel, he shot, me."

"What do you mean, Lionel shot you?" Chloe's voice rose, cracking a little. "Jason!" He collapsed, crumpling to the ground and leaving Chloe staring at him in disbelief.

She knew what Lionel Luthor was capable of; the atrocities that man would not think twice about committing if it meant he could achieve his goal. But this…what could he hope to achieve shooting Jason? Jason groaned and she was brought back to the present. Shoving aside her reporter's instincts for the moment, she bent down and patted at Jason's face lightly.

"Stay with me, Teague," she ordered. "You've got some explaining to do!" He didn't respond to her palms patting his cheeks gently. So she huffed out a breath, shoved open the apartment door and shifted so she could hoist the partially unconscious man through the open doorway. Imagining what his neighbors might say if they saw them in this position made Chloe all the more eager to move him inside – and ended up being less gentle about it, if his pained groans were anything to go by.

"Jason? Wake up. I need your help to get you on the bed, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed mildly, clearly out of it as he managed to find his feet with Chloe's help, Chloe barely managed to catch him before he fell face first into the carpet. "Why would Lionel shoot you," she wondered, looping his arm over her shoulder and guiding him toward the bedroom.

"He'll finish the job, if he knows I'm not dead," Jason muttered. "It's better for everyone if I'm dead."

"Not for me!" Chloe bit out. "Though, it would be nice if you lost a few pounds!" She eased him to a sitting postion on the mattress and he smiled blearily up at her joke. She flicked on the bedside lamp, getting a better look at his face. He looked like shit, she decided. There were dark circle bruises under his eyes and along his cheekbones. His nose, she guessed, must have been broken somehow. His face was a myriad of bruises and scrapes.

Not for the first time, she wondered just what Jason Teague got up to when he wasn't being an amazing lover.

"Hi Chlo'." Her attention was drawn back to him, and the blood that trickled from his split lip.

She pushed her hair, falling free of the small half-ponytail she'd had it in earlier, out of her face and huffed. "Hi, Jason," she murmured, reaching out and brushing her thumb over the cut on his mouth making him wince.

"No... hospitals, 'kay?."

"Fine. But if you die, it's on your head."

Jason smiled, but it was a blurry sort of smile, before flopping back onto the mattress. Chloe was at his side in an instant, and he lay there, blinking up at her as she arranged pillows under his head. He murmured, "I have faith in you Chlo'." Then his eyelids dropped shut and he was silent.

"Jason?" Chloe panicked, her hand trembling wildly as she reached over to feel for a pulse. She couldn't find it on his wrist and the terrifying thought that maybe he was dead fluttered through her brain. She looked down at his peaceful face and the tears came faster. "Don't you dare die on me," she bit out before she pushed the pads of her index, middle and ring fingers into the side of his neck, sobbing when she found his pulse. It was faint, but it was still there.

She took less than a second to collect herself, pushing her tears aside. She ran into the bathroom, quickly washing her hands. Then, after drying them, she opened his medicine cabinet, grateful beyond measure to finding a first aid kit. It was small, but she hoped he'd kept it stocked. She grabbed it and a bottle of peroxide. She snatched up the rubbing alcohol as well and dashed back to the bed. She dumped everything on the bedside table and turned back to Jason. She checked his pulse and leaned her ear against his mouth to assure herself that he was still living.

The tears nearly blinded her. Her shaky hands struggled to open the first aid kit.

She couldn't make much out of his condition aside from the bruises and scrapes on his exposed skin. The rest of him was covered in blood and dirt. He'd been favoring his left shoulder when she'd found him, so she decided to start there. She wrapped her arms around his middle, her stomach flipping uncomfortably at the stench of blood as she pulled him up into a sitting position. It took some major finagling, but Chloe managed to wrestle his ruined jacket from his shoulders. She frowned at the bullet hole in the fabric, her mind going back to Lionel and his reasons for shooting at Jason, before setting the ruined garment aside.

The undershirt wasn't much better, she discovered but now she was able to see the blood pooling wetly against his left shoulder, just below his clavicle. "All right, lover," she murmured, looking up at his face, and trying hard not to think about the bullet lodged in his body. "Let's get naked."

Chloe quickly stripped him from the waist up, rather thankful that he was unconscious. The way she'd blundered the removal of the shirt, tearing it free of the wound in his shoulder, would have hurt a great deal. She ran back into the bathroom for a washcloth, running it under warm water, scrubbing some of Jason's bar soap into the fabric until it was good and lathered. She moved out of the bathroom, holding the rag, thinking she had to find some sort of a basin that could hold water. Since his dorm didn't have a kitchen, any cooking bowls were out of the question and the only other option was a really shallow square bowl that held a bonsai tree. That wouldn't do either, she thought frantically, peeking in on Jason.

He was pale. Was he more pale than when she'd stripped off his shirt? Surely, she moved to his side and pressed a hand to his brow. The heat that radiated off of it spurred her back into action. She couldn't find a suitable basin. She would make do with what she got. Setting the rag on the bedside table, Chloe raced back into the bathroom and filled the sink nearly to the brim.

She rushed back into the bedroom and began dabbing at his shoulder gingerly. When the rag was soiled with the blood around the wound, Chloe went and rinsed it, lathering it again and heading back out to continue washing the wound. She cleaned as much of the grime off of the wound as possible, wincing as fresh blood began to ooze out of the entrance wound. She had intended to give him a sponge bath, but with his wound seeping blood, she decided it would be best to treat that first, dealing with the dirt later. She gave the area in and around the wound another thorough cleaning, then again with the rag soaked in alcohol. She turned Jason over enough to check the back of his shoulder for an exit wound, and there wasn't one. The bullet was lodged in his shoulder.

Chloe gulped and her eyes flicked guiltily to the phone. This was rapidly outstripping her medical experience. What the hell did she know about removing bullets from people? It would be so much easier…so much better for Jason if she just picked up the phone and dialed. Three innocuous numbers, and he'd be in the hands of people who knew what in the world they were doing. Three numbers and he would most assuredly survive. But, those three little numbers would be as good as a death sentence. If what he'd said before was true, if Lionel had been the one to shoot him, she would be leaving him open for the elder Luthor to finish what he'd started. She knew, firsthand, how Lionel hated loose-ends.

"No hospitals," she whispered to herself. But, what was she going to do? She didn't know where the bullet was, or if it was next to any major nerves, or an artery. If she didn't do this just right…Jason could die.

"All right, Sullivan," she coached herself, "One step at a time."

She used a good portion of the alcohol to sterilize the tweezers she'd found in the bathroom cabinet, wishing that dorms came equipped with kitchens. She sat on the edge of the bed, jerking the lampshade off of his lamp for better lighting and pulling it closer so she could see better.

She prided herself on her ability to operate under any condition. Being a reporter meant you had to have a stomach of steel, but being this close to his torn flesh, smelling the coppery tang of blood and the woodsy scent of his soap nearly had Chloe's dinner coming back up. She bit the inside of her lip and closed her eyes. She gave herself a moment to calm down before opening them again, and breathing through her mouth, she bent closer.

Steeling herself and blinking through the tears, she carefully pushed the tweezers into the hole in his shoulder, wrinkling her nose as she prayed he'd stay unconscious. How would she explain a pair of tweezers stuck in his shoulder, her hands coated to the wrists in his blood? She had to dig a little with the tweezers until she found the bullet. It took her two or three tries to get a good grip on it but she finally got it out, throwing it violently in the nearby garbage can.

The wound on his shoulder went from oozing to a steady stream of blood. She grabbed the washcloth, folding it and placing it on top of the wound, using her hand to put pressure and hopefully stop the bleeding.

"I can't believe you are putting this kind of pressure on me Jason Teague!" She bit out, panic clawing at her throat when the washcloth soaked through. She moved it off of the wound, biting back a terrified moan as the blood kept coming. She grabbed up a packet of gauze that had been inside the kit and after tearing the packaging, pressed it roughly against his shoulder. "I don't have a medical degree, okay? And if you die, I will totally blame myself, so you can't die, you hear me? You don't want me blaming myself for the rest of my life because you died due to me screwing up.."

Tears flowed down her face as she kept the pressure on his shoulder and leaned over him, "Lionel Luthor is a scumbag, so you have to come back, if for nothing else than to give him what he deserves." She couldn't contain her tears, and let her head rest on his chest, weeping quietly.

As her tears dribbled onto his chest, a bright light began to emanate around the two of them. Chloe sniffed and opened her eyes, lifting her head just enough to see Jason's face. She placed her free hand on the side of Jason's head, running her fingers into the hair curling above his ear.

The light got a lot brighter after she touched Jason directly... And then she blacked out.

* * *

Jason awoke a few minutes later and blinked, then looked down to find Chloe asleep on his chest.

She was so peaceful, so still, so warm. He passed a hand through her hair. "Hey you," he breathed.

She was too still. Jason began to realize he hadn't heard her breathe.. He jumped up without thought and placed Chloe on the bed, on her back, and lowered his ear to her chest to check for a heartbeat, then placed a hand under her nose to check for breathing.

And he wasn't hearing or feeling anything. He couldn't find her pulse when he checked her neck and he panicked in fear.

_Oh God! Chloe's dead? _Jason has been around dead bodies before, but not the dead body of someone he cared about, and he began to frantically perform CPR.

He placed the heel of his palm on her sternum and used his other hand to cover the first. He began pumping, trying to jump start her heart. He pumped ten times, then pinched her nose, opened her mouth and breathed into her mouth twice, then began the process again.

Jason was frantic. What the hell happened while he was out cold?

After about ten minutes of CPR, he checked her pulse and her heart was now beating, it was faint, but it was there, and he could feel from placing a hand at her nose that she was breathing on her own, and her skin was getting warmer as well.

_Thank God! _

He collapsed on the couch, and then memories of what happened earlier swirled through his mind. The gunshot, the swan dive off a cliff, stealing a truck and dragging himself here.

He looked down at his shoulder,... and for the first time realized there was no injury. It was completely healed.

Jumping up, he ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, staring at his reflection in disbelief.

Checking his face, head, neck and shoulder in the small medicine cabinet mirror, to his amazement, there was not a single scratch.

Questions raced through his mind as he walked back into the bedroom and checked on Chloe again.. He knelt on the floor next to the bed and brushed the curls back from her face.

He wasn't a believer in miracles. But with the extraordinary healing of his body, he ws forced to rethink his opinion. How did Chloe do it? It had to be Chloe, he figured. Was there some remnant of that woman that possessed her months ago? What was her name? Madeline? Yeah, that was it.

But from what he remembered, Madeline wasn't the type to heal others. Her powers were dark, and more often than not, sinister, like Isobel's.

He had lived in Smallville long enough to come across a meteor freak or two. Like that one last month that had tried to kill him. Clark's ex-girlfriend Alicia was another one. Could Chloe also be one of the meteor- infected?

God, he hoped not. From everything he ever gathered about the meteor- powered citizens of Smallville, they eventually went whacko! And he would never want that for Chloe.

He sat there for an hour, playing with her hair, talking to her, saying anything he could think of to help her come to. That is until he realized he was still dirty and disheveled and needed to wash the blood and dirt off. Raising up, he decided a shower was in order. He was still wearing the grungy jeans that were caked with mud and ripped in places, the only indication of his altercation with the Luthors. He went back into the bathroom and closed the door, stripping out of the jeans and underwear, checking himself in the full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door, still amazed there weren't any markings. Not even a bruise!

He took a quick, hot shower, not wanting to stay away from Chloe long, scared to death that she might slip away from him again if he let her out of his sight for too long.

Once done, he toweled dry, then grabbed his muddy clothes and, tossed them in the garbage. He walked out of the bathroom, towel draped over his hips. He stopped next to Chloe, touching the back of one hand to her cheek. She didn't respond to his touch, but her skin was warm beneath his fingertips. He walked to his chest of drawers, opened the top drawer and pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs and a maroon t-shirt.

After he put those items on, he didn't bother with any further clothing. He sat at her side for a moment, running the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip, before he pushed back to his feet. All this waiting was making him uncomfortable. He'd never been all that great at waiting. So to work off nervous energy, he cleaned up the mess next to the bed, then picked Chloe up off the bed and moved her to the living room, laying her gently on the couch. He needed to put clean bed linen on the bed since he got it all muddy, as well as bloody, earlier.

He stripped the bed, throwing the soiled sheets and comforter into a garbage bag. He wasn't much for doing laundry and had plenty of money to buy extra sheets and bedding, so he rarely bothered. The bottom drawer of his chest of drawers held a new set of sheets and pillowcases. He pulled it out of the packaging and made the bed. Then he went to the closet and reached up to the top shelf, pulling down a blanket and comforter, and completed the task of bed making.

Then he turned back to Chloe, removed her shoes, then picked her back up, laid her in the bed and pulled the covers over her, tucking her in.

Jason stood over her, running his fingers through his damp hair in disbelief, muttering, "Damn it Chloe, I don't know what you did, but if it kills you, I'll never forgive you."

He debated for a moment about sleeping in the bed next to her, or on the couch like a gentleman should. But he felt they were way beyond that now. So he carefully crawled into bed behind her, got under the covers, spooning her against him and he propped his head on his hand and began playing with the curls in her hair again. It was baby soft and it framed her face like an angelic halo. He couldn't seem to stop touching it.

He felt the adrenaline, that had coursed through his body upon discovering Chloe unconscious on his chest, start to drain out of him, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. He kissed Chloe's temple and snuggled down for sleep, an arm over her waist to keep her close, and her breathing reassuring him that she was only sleeping.

* * *

Lana entered her apartment above the Talon and shut the door behind her. She walked toward the living room and was startled when she heard a noise behind her, She whirled and gasped in surprise as someone slid out of the shadows and into the light afforded by the lamp on the end table. Genevieve, with a small smile, stalked slowly toward Lana, her heels clicking on the linoleum.

"I have to applaud you, Lana." Genevieve looked Lana over from head to toe, shaking her head and clucking her tongue, "I raised my son to have a willpower that couldn't be broken by anything. Except his love for you, apparently."

Genevieve walked past Lana and toward the fireplace. Lana stalked toward Genevieve to confront her. _What is it about the Teagues getting into my apartment without my permission?_

"Your son only loves himself, Mrs. Teague. Any love for me vanished a while back." Lana placed a fist on her hip and glared at Jason's mother, "What are you doing here? What do you want from me?"

Genevieve turned back to face her, a brow raised as she answered with deadly calm, "The stone. The one Lionel gave you."

Lana was confused. Her brow wrinkled and she shook her head, "Lionel? He never gave me-..."

Genevieve suddenly pulled a gun out of her purse and pointed it at Lana's face at point blank range, cutting Lana off in the middle of her sentence. Lana gasped quietly, and her hands lifted in surrender.

Genevieve continued calmly. "I'm going to find it whether you help me or not."

Lana knew she had to do something and fast. From everything she has gathered about the Teagues, Jason might hesitate to kill her but Genevieve wouldn't bat an eye in doing the deed. Mrs. Genevieve Teague would pull the trigger and pay someone to clean up the mess. Decision made, Lana slowly and carefully reached into her purse,and pulled out a red silk Asian handkerchief. She unfolded the handkerchief and revealed the silver Stone of Power that she hid from Jason to determine his true colors. A small smile formed on Genevieve's face and her eyes lit up.

Suddenly, Lana gripped the stone tightly and kicked the gun out of Genevieve's hand. She tried to run toward the door but Genevieve grabbed her by the hair as she passed, pulling hard, causing Lana's head to jerk back, stopping her from making her getaway. The two women struggled against each other as Genevieve knocked Lana into a lamp and it toppled to the ground. Then she pushed Lana in the opposite direction where Lana fell down and Genevieve jumped on top of her. Lana still had the stone in her hand and they struggled for it, Lana trying to hold onto the stone and Genevieve doing whatever she can to pry Lana's fingers off of it.

Lana head-butted Genevieve in the nose, pushed the older woman off of her, turned quickly and got back onto her feet, running for the door again. And again she didn't make it. Genevieve reached out and grabbed Lana by the ankle, giving it a pull and tripping her. Genevieve rolled on top of her again, this time she violently slammed Lana's head against the linoleum, making Lana's teeth rattle. In retaliation, Lana scratched Genevieve across the face, but Genevieve didn't release her grip. She wrapped her fingers tightly around Lana's throat and began to squeeze, cutting off Lana's air supply.

Lana's grunts were silenced as her airway was cut off. Now, she was powerless to defend herself, no matter how much she struggled against the older woman's grip. Then just as Lana thought it was all over and she was going to die, Isobel entered Lana's body, causing Lana's eyes to suddenly flash a brilliant purple, indicating the return of Countess Isobel Margarite Thoreau. The sadistic smile on Genevieve's face faded when she saw the color in Lana's eyes.

Isobel hissed, grabbed Genevieve's arms roughly, flipping them and pushing Genevieve onto the ground and kneeling over her.

The stone had fallen to the ground next to them during their struggle and Isobel held out her hand and concentrated. The stone flew from the floor into her hand. She gripped it firmly with both hands, holding it above her head with the point facing downward. Then she slammed it down hard into Genevieve's chest, stabbing her through the heart.

Genevieve cried out as a small burst of bluish-white light came from the stone and blood trickled down Genevieve's jacket and onto the floor.

A bright white light washed over Isobel as a wind blew her hair back from her face. She had triumphed! She killed the seed of her worst enemy. She closed her eyes, breathed heavily and smiled triumphantly.

The tattoo on her back glowed purple and then Isobel disappeared along with the tattoo.

Then Lana, in shock, slowly released the stone that she clutched in her hands, and in horror saw the blood all over her hands and all over Genevieve Teague, who was now lying dead beneath her.

_Oh crap!_ Lana thought, her eyes widening in shock. _No way! There is no way I could have possibly... _The last thing she remembered was that she was just defending herself. She never meant to kill Jason's mother.

And she was worried about what would happen to her if Jason found out. The last time they had any contact with each other, he seemed to have a very dangerous anger problem, and he directed it at her.

What would happen if the authorities found out?

She crawled off Genevieve, the shock still on her face as she viewed all the blood around her and on her as well.

Lana heard footsteps behind her, and turned quickly, scared of who it might be. She turned to the door, eyes wide and found that Lex was standing in the doorway, also temporarily shocked at what he had found The blood on the floor and the blood all over Lana. He himself was still dirty and disheveled from his adventure in the woods and he stared at Lana wordlessly. She stared back at him, her lower lip trembling.

Lex took quick action. He helped Lana up, trying to keep her calm.

Lex grabbed a washcloth and basin, and a pitcher of water. He began cleaning the blood off of her as she shook violently.

"Oh my God, Lex! She was coming at me, it happened so quickly." Her eyes were wide, body trembling and tears in her big beautiful eyes,, "I-... I don't even remember stabbing her!"

Lex cradled her head in one of his hands, forcing her to make eye contact with him. He spoke calmly and slowly, "Lana, I want you to take a deep breath and try to relax. Okay?"

Lex held Lana's hands still as he poured the water over them from the pitcher.

Lana's shock had worn off and she was shaking like a leaf in the wind, panicking as well. Her voice was beginning to sound hysterical. "Lex, a woman is dead because of me. I killed her!"

"Lana, calm down." He set the pitcher back down on the bar and placed his hands on her shoulders, continuing to speak to her like he's soothing a scared child. "You had no choice. You did what anyone would do if their life was at stake. It was kill or be killed. That's called self-defense."

Lex gave Lana a towel to dry her hands and led her to the couch. He eased her onto the cushion, when it became clear that her knees wouldn't hold her up much longer,and kept one arm around her shoulders, the other hand clasping both of hers.

"Lex, I have to tell Jason. She was his mother."

Lex thought within his mind that Jason might actually be jubilant, if he was alive to see it. "I'll deal with Jason. "

Lana suddenly stood and began pacing, "Lex! There's a _**dead body**_ in my apartment. I have to go to the police. I have to tell them what happened."

Lex stood and stopped her pacing, stepping into her path and grabbing her by the upper arms, trying to make her see reason, "Lana, I'm not sure that's such a wise idea." He looked down at the bleeding corpse and back up to Lana, "Genevieve Teague was a powerful woman, married to an extremely powerful lawyer. Even though it's clearly self defense, Edward Teague is going to make sure the jury sees otherwise."

Lana was scared and in tears as she grabbed Lex's shirt and asked shakily, "What's gonna happen to me? I'm gonna go to prison, aren't I?"

Lex shook his head vehemently, "No, Lana. Not if I can help it. I've retained one of the best defense attorneys in the country. And once he arrives from New York, we'll go to the authorities."

Lana nodded, then looked at Lex with gratitude, Lex pulled her into his arms and she collapsed into them, beyond thankful for the strength he was offering her as she whispered brokenly against his shirt "Okay, Lex."

Lex spoke quietly and reassuringly to her while stroking her back soothingly, "You have to trust me, Lana. Until the lawyer arrives, I want you to stay at my mansion and talk to no one. You'll be safe there."

* * *

Lionel was standing in the Talon kitchen, the coffee shop was closed since it was night time and after hours. He watched his son escort the woman he loved out of the Talon.

Lionel had arrived just after Lex and had listened to the conversation from the landing. He quietly came back downstairs and hid until they left.

When he got back upstairs and walked around the dead body of Genevieve Teague, he chuckled wryly, then knelt next to her, smirking at the glorious turn of events. "Check mate Genevieve,." Lionel murmured.

He walked over to Lana's cordless phone, since Jason took his cell phone at the cabin, and made a couple of calls.

Two hours later, Lex arrived back at Lana's apartment, finding the body gone, and everything cleaned up like nothing ever took place. Lex looked around the dark room and found Lionel in the corner in a chair. Lionel flipped on the lamp next to him, letting the light illuminate him for Lex to see who wasis actually responsible for the clean-up.

Lionel peered at his son thoughtfully and steepled his fingers in front of him as he said, "I thought I'd do Miss Lang a favor and tidy up the place a bit." He gave Lex a knowing smirk, shaking his head, "She left it in quite a mess, quite a mess."

Lex rolled his eyes, sighed and answered sarcastically, "What are you looking for, Dad? The good housekeeping seal of approval?"

Lionel chuckled as if Lex just told a funny joke, "You know, for a woman without a heart, Genevieve Teague certainly did have a lot of _**blood**_."

Lex stalked over to his father and hissed, "You didn't come here to do a postmortem on Genevieve Teague. What is it you want?"

Lionel stood and casually placed his hands in his pants pockets,"I'd like to offer a trade." He began walking around Lex slowly and carefully, one might say he was stalking Lex and he drove home his point. "I'll give you Lana Lang's freedom in exchange for the, um, artifact she has in her possession."

Lex shook his head as if his Dad was losing his marbles, "Dad, don't you think your search for these three ancient stones is starting to border on the fanatical? We were tied up in a cabin for Christ's sakes, and all for those precious stones!"

Lionel chuckled again, apparently in his element when it comes to blackmail. "Let me remind you, son. It was _**you**_ who looted the ruins of Egypt to get your hands on one of those stones."

Lionel walked into the kitchen casually, continuing to tidy up. He found an apple that fell to the floor during Lana and Genevieve's struggle and picked it up, placing it back in the basket on the counter.

"Trust me, Dad. Lana has nothing to do with this."

Lionel placed a hand over his heart in mock shock, "Oh, so chivalrous of you! You are the gallant hero trying to protect the damsel in distress."

Lex clenched his teeth, "I'm warning you, Dad. Leave... her... alone." The words were forceful, punctuated with a jabbing finger in his father's direction.

Lionel walked around the apartment, continuing his speech as if Lex never spoke, raising a finger to make a point, "All your life you've had a, uh, a tendency to let the damsel lead you straight into the mouth of the dragon. " Lionel shook his head at his son, "Your feelings for Miss Lang, don't let them cripple your common sense." Lionel began walking past Lex, keeping eye contact, then he stopped as he stood next to Lex, eyeing him with a deadly stare, "I expect to see that stone by noon tomorrow."

Lex was still seething as he watched Lionel go, but as Lionel opened the door, he turned back, almost like an afterthought.

"It would be such a shame if, um, Genevieve's corpse were delivered to the sheriff with Lana Lang's DNA as postage."

He walked out, letting his words hang over Lex's head.


	13. Chapter 13

Chloe awoke slowly the next morning, the sun shining through the blinds, bathing her face in light. She blinked and realized there was a heavy arm over her waist, and a warm body behind her.

She turned over carefully, finding Jason sound asleep. Remembering everything from the night before regarding his injuries, she turned to face him and felt his left shoulder, realizing there was no bandage and no injury. The scrapes and bruises she had seen on his face, neck, chest and arms were completely gone as well as her hands ran over him, making sure he was indeed intact and well.

Jason groaned as he was pulled out of his dreams. He reached up and grabbed her wandering hand, placed it against his heart as he opened his eyes slowly, meeting hers and smiling.

"Good morning,." Jason murmured

"How did-..?" Chloe's sentence trailed off as her confusion warred with jubilation that he was really and truly alright.

He pushed up onto his elbow, keeping her hand against his heart and shrugged, running his fingertips over the back of her hand. "I don't know. I could ask you the same question. I was shot in the shoulder, I had scrapes and bruises all over my entire body, even my old rotator cuff injury from playing football was aggravated... and now I'm completely healed and I haven't a clue as to how that happened. I am supposed to be dead. And you..." he wagged a finger at her, "I woke up to find you passed out on top of me. I thought for sure _**you**_ were dead."

He hugged her to him and murmured, "Don't ever scare me like that again Chloe."

Before Chloe could say anything further, her cell phone rang, the ringtone warring with the vibration as her purse danced off of the end table on the other side of the room, falling to the floor. Wondering who would be calling her, she got up, pulled her cell phone out of her purse and saw on the display that Lana was calling her.

"Lana?" Chloe answered, flicking a puzzled look in Jason's direction. Jason raised an eyebrow as he tried to listen to Chloe's side of the conversation.

'Wait, Lana, back up. What was that about Genevieve?"

Chloe pressed a button on her cell phone that put Lana's voice on loudspeaker.

"I killed her Chloe..."

Jason's eyes widened, until he heard Lana say, "Well actually, Isabell killed her."

Chloe made sure to have the mouthpiece close to her mouth as she replied, "Isobel? As in evil 16th century witch hell bent on destroying the Teague bloodline?"

Jason sat on the edge of the bed, listening and trying to be quiet. He didn't want Lana to know he was hearing anything.

"That's the one!" Lana said nervously. Lana began speaking quietly like she didn't want someone to overhear her. Chloe sat next to Jason as Lana continued, "I'm freaking out Chlo'. Lex thinks he can get me off with self-defense. She was waiting in my apartment when I got home and she pulled a gun on me! I kicked it out of her hand, we fought…... and she was choking me Chloe. Then, I remember nothing else until I was straddling her dead body, having stabbed her in the heart. Oh My God! Jason will kill me! I never meant to kill her Chlo'. I would never do that. Knock her out maybe, but not _**kill**_ her."

"Lana, slow down. It sounds like Lex is right. It sounds like a cut and dried case of self-defense to me."

"Look, Lex will be back any minute, so you might not hear from me for a while….."

Lana was suddenly disconnected and at the click, Chloe asked, "Lana?". Then she checked the display and saw she wasn't there any longer.

Chloe called back, thinking maybe Lana's call simply dropped. But she immediately got Lana's voicemail. She left a message to call her back and disconnected.

"My mother's dead?" Jason asked in wonder, still in shock over the news. He jumped up suddenly and told Chloe, "I gotta get out of here. I mean, if Isobel doesn't find me, I have two Luthors that want me dead too."

"Wait, Jason, why would they want you dead? I mean, Lionel's scum but why would he shoot you?"

"Why did he kill his parents, Chloe? Why did he try to have you killed before you testified against him? I'm a threat, that's why. He and my Mom were... competitors, I guess you can say. You really don't want to tangle with them."

"Jason, one thing I can say for Lionel Luthor, he's not stupid. What were he and your mother competing for?"

"Look, Chloe... there's this big deal about some stones of knowledge that both my mom and Lionel Luthor have been after for years. My mother took those stories so seriously, and trained me to take them just as seriously, that it was an obsession for her. It's all she thought about. Well, as far as I'm concerned, she's dead now and I finally don't give a fucking shit. I want out. Lionel Luthor can have them all for all I care. The stones are his. Just leave me the hell alone."

"What are you talking about, Jason? Lionel didn't kill your mother." She shook her head. "I don't understand why he would want you dead…it just…it doesn't make sense!"

Jason was up and grabbing a duffel bag, packing his clothes as quick as possible, He didn't want to pull Chloe into his drama. After what he did at the cabin, Lionel will want his head on a platter, but Chloe did not need to know those details regarding what kind of monster his mother trained him to be. So using football strategy, he went on the offensive. He slammed some clothes on the bed and towered over Chloe, hoping she'll let it go. "Does he really need a reason Chloe? He's Lionel fucking Luthor okay? He _**shot**_ me! You saw the bullet wound! And if I know Lionel the way I think I do, next time he won't miss!"

He turned away on a curse, and continued shoving socks and boxers into his duffel, while Chloe struggled to put two and two together. Despite her journalistic instincts, she just couldn't get the situation to add up. "But…" He looked at her and she had to clamp down on the instinctual rush of fear at the expression on his face. "Why would he shoot you? What would make him see you as a threat?" In her mind, Jason was a normal college student – not usually someone Lionel would earmark as a threat.

"The stones, Chloe! He assumes I'm just as obsessed as my mother."

"So he chose to kill you instead of your mother? That's crazy, Jason! It just doesn't sound like Lionel."

"Chloe, forget it, alright? Just let it go."

"But..."

"_**Damn it Chloe! I said let it go!**_"

He saw the hurt flash in her eyes and bit the inside of his mouth to keep back the frustrated sigh. He couldn't back-pedal on her right now. If he began apologizing, she'd question him. About more than just the stupid, fucking stones.

He would rather her hurting than to have the events in his past revealed to her. There were things in his past that he didn't want to touch her. She was too good, too special to carry those around with her.

Chloe sniffed, then with her chin up, she gritted out, "Fine! Have a nice life!" and began to grab her purse and head for the door.

"Chloe... wait." Jason stopped what he was doing and walked toward her. She was at the door, her hand on the knob and she stopped, not turning around. She heard him sigh.

"Chloe," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder, he said, "I want to keep you safe. The less you know the better." He turned her to face him. When he saw the tears of hurt in her eyes, he hugged her. She was stiff in his arms at first, but then relaxed and hugged him back, breathing in and out shakily.

"Where will you go?" Chloe asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"It's probably best that you don't know that, either. Until I get this whole mess straightened out, we really shouldn't be talking to each other."

"But-..."

At that moment he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the pent up emotion he had, effectively shutting her up. After several seconds, he finally eased away from her, placed his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes, "I'll never forget you, Chloe Sullivan. You saved my life. I don't know how, but I guess in a way... I kind of see you as my personal guardian angel. However you did it, I'm thankful."

Chloe gulped, and worked her words out of her tight throat. "So this is it?"

Jason nodded, "I'm sorry Chlo'. Maybe one day I can come back, but don't wait for me, okay? And remember what I said." He kissed her again lightly, cradling her head in his hands, "You deserve a guy that wants you as much as you want him. And if he gets you, he'll be the luckiest guy on the planet."

With a final kiss, quick kiss, he grabbed his duffel bag, slung it over his shoulder, looked around at the stuff he'd probably have to leave behind and sighed. He really liked the life he'd been building here, he thought. He turned back to her and asked, "Do you need a ride home before I leave?"

"No... I drove myself."

Sighing in resignation, Chloe met Jason's eyes. In determination, she said, "Since I'll probably never see you again, I'll give you something more to remember me."

She pulled his head down and kissed him. She heard the thunk of the duffel bag hitting the floor, and felt his arms encircle her, pulling her close as he kissed her back. He tore himself away with a groan, swooped up his bag and strode purposefully from the apartment, leaving her staring after him…. And avoiding the temptation to turn back and stay with her..

They didn't know that it would be eight years before their paths would cross again.

_**The End**_

* * *

_Author's note - Don't shoot me! :) It was after a lot of deliberation that I decided to end this story here. However, I intend to write a sequel to pick up eight years later. I've spent quite a bit of time on this story and I need to take a break until after Christmas. Lots of stuff going on in my life right now. But I've enjoyed writing this story and exploring a possible world of Jason and Chloe. I usually write Chlark fics, but I wanted to try my hand at a Chlason fic. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thanks again to my amazing beta reader AW Kizume. Keep a watch for my sequel after Christmas. Probably just going to be simply titled "Jason and Chloe's story, The Sequel" or "Part 2". Read and review and let me know what you think, what you feel, all reviews are good reviews! I love you all! daciavu73_


	14. Chapter 14

Just announcing the new and improved sequel to this story. You will find it at this link. Please feel free to review. I kept a few things but I now have a solid grasp of what I'll do in the future, how I want the story to go and how to end it. Hope you enjoy the new version and thank you guys for being so patient with me.

s/8548037/1/Jason-and-Chloes-Story-The-Sequel


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